Sealing porous anodic layers on AA2024-T3 with a low viscosity benzoxazine resin for corrosion protection in aeronautical applications

In this paper, a 4-ethylphenol-para-phenylenediamine (4EP-pPDA) benzoxazine has been applied and cured on previously anodized AA2024-T3 substrates. The porous surface oxide layers obtained from sulfo-tartaric anodizing appeared to be highly impregnated by the benzoxazine resin, sealing the anodic films. Through rheological, morphological and chemical characterization, the curing process has been identified to be the key step for the impregnation to occur, related to the low viscosity of the 4EP-pPDA benzoxazine attained during thermal curing. Moreover, the typical surface porosity of the anodic layer reappeared after curing, offering a good anchoring to possible top coats. Finally, high and enduring barrier properties of this hybrid organic–inorganic layer have been highlighted through Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and correlated with recent results obtained by Molecular Dynamics Simulations (MDS). These barrier properties appeared to be strongly influenced by the curing process parameters, as has been assessed using alternative curing cycles limiting their duration and lowering the curing temperature. Consequently, adapting the curing process enables the optimization of the barrier properties of the system while respecting the dependence of the mechanical properties of the AA2024-T3 substrate on thermal treatment at high temperatures.