LAUSR

Abstract The adhesion improvement and surface-bonding nature at epoxy polymer/steel interface decorated with novel rare earth element nanofilms based on praseodymium (Pr) and its composite cerium-praseodymium (Ce-Pr) oxides were studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and experimental approaches. The steel surface morphology and chemistry after depositing praseodymium and cerium oxides were examined by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The adhesion characteristics of epoxy coating applied over surface-treated steel were assessed by pull-off adhesion and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Results revealed that the adhesion strength at polymer/steel interface substantially improved upon steel surface treatment by Pr and Ce-Pr (100%) nanofilms. The strongest interfacial adhesion and the lowest adhesion loss in wet conditions were observed for steel samples decorated by Ce and Pr oxides. The simulation results further evidenced the stronger epoxy resin adhesion onto surface-treated steel (represented by praseodymia Pr2O3 and ceria CeO2) as compared with untreated sample (represented by iron oxides) particularly under wet conditions.