Evaluation of Caulerpa lentilifera (Seagrape) Extract as A Potential Anti-Corrosion Additive in Epoxy Coating for Mild Steel Protection in the Marine Environment

Corroded metals have gained considerable attention due to the significant economic losses they cause, both financially and in terms of their impact on the marine environment. Numerous attempts have been made to mitigate the effects of corrosion using different preventive techniques, including the incorporation of corrosion additives into protective coatings. One such additive, Caulerpa lentilifera (CL), commonly known as seagrape, was studied for its potential as a green corrosion additive in epoxy coatings. The anticorrosive activity of various amounts of CL extract (1-5 wt%) added to epoxy coatings on mild steel in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution was examined using the potentiodynamic polarization (PdP) technique. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis was also conducted to identify the primary phenolic components present in the CL extract. Electrochemical analysis showed that the addition of CL extracts significantly decreased the corrosion rate compared to bare mild steel. According to the findings, epoxy coatings containing 3 wt% CL extracts exhibited 24% more anticorrosive performance compared to the bare sample. Therefore, CL extract shows promising potential as an anti-corrosion additive in epoxy coatings for marine applications. (author)