Smart epoxy coating containing zeolites loaded with Ce on a plasma electrolytic oxidation coating on Mg alloy AZ31 for active corrosion protection.

• The stimuli for release of the cerium ions from modified zeolites were studied. • The epoxy resin was doped with CeNaX and then PEO treated AZ31 specimens were coated with such epoxy resin. • The specimen modified by CeNaX had a good self-healing ability against corrosion. In present work, zeolite microparticles (NaX) were loaded with Ce3+, and the amount of Na exchanged for Ce was evaluated using EDS and EDXRF. Then the stimuli for release of cerium ions including pH, Mg2+ and Na+ cations were studied using ICP. Finally, the epoxy resin was doped with Ce-loaded zeolite microparticles (CeNaX), and was coated on PEO treated AZ31 substrate. The surface morphologies and self-healing ability also were characterized. The obtained results showed that NaX and CeNaX microparticles evenly embedded into the epoxy coating and the specimen modified by CeNaX had a good self-healing ability against corrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]