Research progress and challenges of healing mechanism, types, and applications of reversible self-healing anti-corrosion coatings

Abstract

Self-repairing anti-corrosion coatings are characterized by their ability to autonomously repair damage, which effectively prevents corrosion of metals by corrosive media and provides enduring protection against metal corrosion. In recent years, there appears to have been a notable increase in research focus on self-healing anti-corrosion coatings as a means of protecting metals. Nevertheless, a systematic theory and in-depth analysis of reversible reactive coatings remain elusive, impeding researchers from grasping the overall picture and research focus of the field and limiting the efficient promotion of coating performance and application potential. This article presents an analysis of the reversible reaction type self-healing anticorrosive coating, a study of its self-healing mechanism, an explanation of the function of the various reversibly bonded dynamic units in self-healing coatings, and a systematic review of the research findings in this field. This article provides a comprehensive account of the synergistic effect of multiple self-healing mechanisms, encompassing a spectrum of phenomena from a solitary dynamic bond to the orchestration of dynamic bonds, shape memory effects, and repair agents. These mechanisms collectively exert a beneficial influence on the self-healing capacity of coatings. Furthermore, the article considers the deployment of reversible reactive self-healing anti-corrosion coatings in a variety of contexts and presents an overview of the prospective trajectory of this field, with the objective of offering insights and design principles for the advancement of self-healing coatings.