Self-healing performance of ethyl-cellulose based supramolecular gel coating highly loaded with different carbon chain length imidazoline inhibitors in NaCl corrosion medium

The anti-corrosion performance and self-healing ability of an ethyl-cellulose based supramolecular gel coating were improved through pre-loading high concentration (up to 25 wt%) imidazoline inhibitor. The imidazoline inhibitors with different carbon chain were used to introduce self-healing property to the gel coating. The inhibitor dissolved in the dispersion phase of gel coating could enhance the barrier effect of coating. The inhibitor released form coating scratches could form an adsorption film and stop the corrosion reactions of steel. The carbon chain length of inhibitor could affect the barrier effect of intact coating and the self-healing performance of the scratched coating. •Synthesized imidazoline in the gel supramolecular coating acts as an important part of dispersed phase.•The inhibitor added in coating could improve the anti-corrosion performance and self-healing performance of coating.•The carbon chain length of inhibitor could affect the barrier effect and inhibitor releasing behavior of coating.