Release studies of corrosion inhibitors from cerium titanium oxide nanocontainers

Cerium titanium oxide nanocontainers were synthesized through a two-step process and then loaded with corrosion inhibitors 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (2-MB) and 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ). First, polystyrene nanospheres (PS) were produced using polymerization in suspension. Second, the PS spheres were coated via the sol–gel method to form a cerium titanium oxide layer. Finally, the nanocontainers were made by calcination of the coated PS nanospheres. The size of the containers was 180 ± 10 nm as determined by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). X-Ray Diffraction Analysis (XRD) showed that the nanocontainers consist of anatase and cerianite crystalline phases. The presence and loading of the inhibitors in the nanocontainers was confirmed with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT–IR) and Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), respectively. TGA revealed the amount of 10.43 and 4.61% w/w for 2-MB and 8-HQ in the nanocontainers, respectively. Furthermore, the release kinetics of the inhibitors from the nanocontainers was studied in corrosive environment using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in the presence of aluminum alloys 2024-T3 (AA2024-T3).