Design of superwetting composite coating with excellent anti-scaling property based on EDTA-Zn microcapsules

Scaling is an ineluctable challenge facing humanity in industrial production. Although superhydrophobic coatings have been proven to possess anti-scaling effects, they are generally limited by fragile mechanochemical durability. Herein, a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/microcapsules (MCs)/nanocarbon fiber (CNF) composite coating with superhydrophobicity (water contact angle of 155°) and superoleophilicity (oil contact angle of 0°) has been successfully prepared by spraying method. The scale inhibitor of EDTA-Zn was encapsulated in polyurea@SiO 2 shell via Pickering emulsion polymerization route. Owing to the sustained release of EDTA-Zn and the shielding oil layer formed by capturing oil molecules, the prepared coating is capable of inhibiting the adhesion of CaCO 3 scale nucleation and inducing the growth of aragonite CaCO 3 scale, which is more likely to detach from the coating surface compared to calcite . Thus, in simulated oil field production fluid, the prepared coating demonstrated excellent anti-scaling property with an extremely low CaCO 3 deposited weight of 0.072 mg/cm 2 . Simultaneously, because of the stable shielding oil film on the coating surface , the prepared coating exhibited excellent corrosion resistance , with a low I corr of 7.39 × 10 −9 A/cm 2 and a corrosion rate of 8.06 × 10 −5 mm/year. In addition, the prepared coating also shown excellent mechanical durability, anti-fouling and self-cleaning qualities. We anticipate that our work will offer a new approach to the development and production of industrial anti-scaling and anti-corrosion coatings.