Conference Speakers

Morshed Khandaker, Ph.D.

Professor, University of Oklahoma

Development of Corrosion Resistant Nanofiber Coating

Corrosion in steel-reinforced concrete poses significant risks to infrastructure and incurs $22.6 billion annually in U.S. maintenance costs. This research investigates corrosion-resistant coatings combining magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn) nanoparticles (NPs) with polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers, using a portable corrosion test chamber built to ASTM B-117 standards. The chamber assesses coatings under controlled conditions to simulate marine and industrial environments. The chamber maintains 35°C and 95-98% humidity, exposing coated steel rods to salt fog. The study evaluates Mg and Zn NP-loaded PCL nanofibers for corrosion resistance, using electrospinning to coat iron rod with Mg and Zn NP-loaded PCL nanofibers cloths. SEM and EDS confirm nanoparticle distribution on each cloths, while mass loss measurements validate reduced corrosion in coated samples when these rods went through corrosion experiments in the test chamber. Results show superior performance of Mg-PCL and Zn-PCL nanofiber coatings compared to uncoated rods. This research demonstrates the chamber’s utility for testing advanced coatings and highlights the potential for improved infrastructure durability through nanoparticle-enhanced materials.