Corrosion is one of the leading causes of material degradation and structural failure, highlighting the urgent need for environmentally friendly and high-performance protective coatings. In this work, a series of graphene–polyaniline (G-PANI) nanocomposites were synthesized via tannic acid-assisted in situ oxidative polymerization, and incorporated into waterborne polyurethane (WPU) matrices at loadings of 0–2.0 wt%. Morphological and spectroscopic analyses confirm that at 1.5 wt%, G-PANI forms a uniformly dispersed and well-bonded conductive network. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and polarization tests reveal that the 1.5 wt% G-PANI/WPU coating maintains a low-frequency impedance of >5 × 107 Ω·cm2 and a corrosion current density of 1.07 × 10−8 A·cm−2 after 30 days of immersion in 3.5 wt% NaCl, corresponding to a corrosion rate of 4.89 × 10−3 mpy—dramatically lower than that of the unmodified WPU (189.8 mpy). Salt spray testing further shows minimal scribe creep width (1–2 mm, ASTM D1654 Rating 8–9) and negligible blistering (ASTM D714 Size 8/Few) for the 1.5 wt% sample, indicating superior durability. XPS results indicate a synergistic protection mechanism involving graphene-based tortuous diffusion barriers, Cl− capture by protonated PANI, and interfacial Fe(III) passivation. Additionally, infrared thermography and UV–Vis spectroscopy confirm that G-PANI enhances broadband UV/NIR absorption and nonradiative heat conversion. The 1.5 wt% coating demonstrates excellent photothermal and anti-UV aging performance, attributed to the π-conjugated architecture and improved filler dispersion. These results highlight a facile strategy for designing multifunctional, eco-friendly waterborne coatings with optimized corrosion and optical resistance.
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