This paper presents a novel approach to developing high-performance, self-healing, and anti-corrosion waterborne polyurethane (WPU) coatings by incorporating highly oriented graphene oxide (GO). The resulting biomimetic coating exhibits enhanced mechanical properties, including high tensile strength, toughness, and fracture energy, due to a decomposable hydrogen bond array and strain-induced crystallization. The reversible hydrogen bonding allows for efficient self-healing upon heating or near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. The highly oriented lamellar structure of the GO-WPU nanocomposite significantly improves the physical barrier performance and anti-corrosion properties, as confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and scanning vibrating electrode (SVET) analyses. The coating demonstrates excellent dual self-healing, puncture resistance, and anti-corrosion performance in harsh environments, offering a promising solution for protecting steel substrates.

Lin Wang, Xuebin Wang, Tong Liu, Fuyao Sun, Suning Li, Yuhao Geng, BoWen Yao, Jianhua Xu, JiaJun Fu