Influence of the pigment volume concentration (PVC) on the properties of an epoxy primer

By means of stress-strain tests, electrochemical techniques (EIS and AC/DC/AC) and salt spray accelerated tests, the influence of the Lambda=PVC/CPVC parameter (being CPVC the critical pigment volume concentration) on mechanical and anticorrosive properties of an anticorrosive epoxy organic primer has been studied. Primers were formulated at different Lambda values (0.73, 0.80, 0.88, 0.93, 0.98, 1.08, 1.15 and 1.24). It was concluded that mechanical and anticorrosive properties of an epoxy coating are greatly affected by the A parameter. The corrosion resistance increases when the PVC decreases. Anticorrosive properties characterized with the different techniques used were very similar, although AC/DC/AC offered the results in a very short time (24 h).