Cellulose nanofibers reinforced carboxylated nitrile butadiene rubber coatings for improved corrosion protection of mild steel.

The development of an efficient coating with comprehensive antimicrobial and anticorrosion properties for metals is crucial. The present study used a one-pot strategy to fabricate a high-performance nanocomposite coating of carboxylated nitrile butadiene rubber/cellulose nanofibers/zinc oxide (XNBR/CNF-ZnO), demonstrating excellent potential for application in the protection against metal corrosion. Eco-friendly CNF-ZnO nanomaterials, prepared using the in-situ generation method, were used as reinforcing fillers, while XNBR was used as the matrix material. The incorporation of CNF-ZnO nanofillers notably increased the crosslink density of the composites, and thus significantly improved the interfacial compatibility between the XNBR matrix and the nanofillers. Also, the XNBR/CNF-ZnO composites exhibited significant improvements in solvent resistance, abrasion resistance, antimicrobial properties, and metal anticorrosion properties. We further elucidated the mechanism of interaction between the matrix and the nanofillers as well as the corresponding performance enhancement mechanism. This study presents a novel approach for developing multifunctional anticorrosive coatings, which holds significant potential for advancing research in metal corrosion protection.