Application of sol-gel technology for anticorrosion coatings and surface pretreatments

Organic-inorganic hybrid coatings are of increasing interest to industry due to their potential widespread applications. The organic component in the matrix offers the advantages of mechanical toughness and flexibility while the inorganic component provides the coating with its hardness and thermal stability properties. This paper presents a brief outline of the developments undertaken within our research laboratory of the different sol gel coating/pre-treatment systems which offer alternatives to existing anti-corrosion coatings. Furthermore application of the sol gel to substrates such as zinc, aluminium, magnesium and steel provides an environmentally-friendly alternative pre-treatment to that of toxic chromium(IV)-based systems.