Graphene: Challenging the boundaries of corrosion prevention

 
Corrosion remains a key challenge for the protection and maintenance of infrastructure, with the result of failure having the potential for significant impact both financially and on human lives. Graphene, first isolated in 2004 has seen extensive research as an additive to reduce corrosion due to its 2D structure, which delivers benefits in barrier performance and electrochemical activity dependant on system and substrate. Applied Graphene Materials has demonstrated the applicability of Graphene Nano-platelets as an anti-corrosion additive in several environments ranging from C3-C5 ISO12944. Uplifts in corrosion performance have been achieved in several systems both solvent and water based. This paper presents a further extension of this work and seeks to identify the potential benefits of Graphene, limiting corrosion and extending maintenance cycles in challenging marine and offshore environments.