Designing Lubricant-Impregnated Surfaces for Corrosion Protection

Corrosion is a detrimental process that can impact the performance and lifetime of many infrastructural systems. In this research, lubricant-impregnated surfaces (LIS) for corrosion protection are systematically developed and studied. Using microtextures with controlled geometry and spacing, this study shows that the corrosion resistance on LIS is greatly enhanced compared to bare iron as determined by a reduction in the corrosion current density by three orders of magnitude. Furthermore, it shows that the spreading characteristics of the lubricant are important toward ensuring effective corrosion protection. Krytox, a lubricant that covers both inside the textures as well as the top of the textures, provides two orders of magnitude greater corrosion protection as compared to silicone oil that does not cover texture tops. The practical applicability of LIS are highlighted to demonstrate corrosion protection on carbon steel in brine.