Anticorrosion coating for magnesium alloys: electrospun superhydrophobic polystyrene/SiO$_{2}$ composite fibers

Superhydrophobic nanocomposite coatings for magnesium surfaces with remarkable corrosion resistance were fabricated by electrospinning in the presence of fluorosilane-functionalized silica (SiO$_{2})$ nanoparticles. The effects of surface-modified silica (mod-SiO$_{2})$ nanoparticles on the superhydrophobicity and corrosion resistance of polystyrene (PS)/mod-SiO$_{2}$ fiber coatings were evaluated. The incorporation of the SiO$_{2}$ nanoparticles endows PS fibers with rough surfaces exhibiting a water contact angle (WCA) of 165$^{\circ}$. The surface wettability, corrosion resistance, and their relation to the inorganic content in the PS fibers and the contact angle of the composite coatings were explored. Analysis of the corrosion results confirmed that the PS/mod-SiO$_{2}$ coating protected the Mg surface from corrosion. In addition, PS fibers containing mod-SiO$_{2}$ nanoparticles showed improved hydrophobicity, and excellent corrosion resistance was achieved with PS fibers containing 4 wt% SiO$_{2}$ nanoparticles.