The generation of artificial microscopic defects in organic coatings by AFM scratching

摘要: Failure in the corrosion protection offered by organic coatings is most commonly instigated defects traversing film. However, artificial used to assess resistance are ordinarily prepared using manual scribing techniques, producing inherently macroscopic scratches with variable dimensions. Here, we demonstrate an AFM scratching methodology for controlled introduction of reproducible microscale into a thin film industrial epoxy phenolic can coating. Furthermore, local changes topography and Volta potential then monitored Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) following exposure corrosive media (water or electrolyte).