In-Situ grown MoS2 nanoflower-modified halloysite nanocontainers for active long-term corrosion protection coatings

A promising strategy involving loading corrosion inhibitors into stimuli-responsive nanocontainers provides both physical barrier and active protection, thereby extending coating service life. In this study, a novel nanocontainer was fabricated by loading benzotriazole (BTA) into halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) decorated with in-situ grown MoS 2 nanoflowers. The resulting Cu-BTA/HNTs@MoS 2 nanocontainer exhibited excellent pH-responsive release characteristics. When added to a waterborne epoxy coating, it imparted remarkable corrosion resistance, maintaining an impedance modulus (|Z| 0.01 Hz ) only 36% lower after 45 d of immersion in saline solution, significantly higher than pure epoxy coatings, by two orders of magnitude. This superior performance originates from a synergistic mechanism: the MoS 2 nanosheets create a dense physical barrier that extends the diffusion path of corrosive agents, while HNTs enable acid-triggered release of the BTA inhibitor for active protection. This work presents an innovative strategy for advancing high-durability, self-protective epoxy coatings on Q235 mild steel, offering valuable insights for corrosion-resistant material design.