Enhancing Mechanical, Impact, and Corrosion Resistance of Self-Healable Polyaspartic Ester Polyurea via Surface Modified Graphene Nanoplatelets

Abstract

Polyaspartic ester polyurea (PEP) elastomers are highly promising for self-healable protective coatings in industrial applications, yet their broader adoption is limited by insufficient mechanical and corrosion resistance. Herein, we develop a multifunctional PEP nanocomposite by incorporating Jeffamine D2000-functionalized graphene nanoplatelets (F-GNPs), prepared through a one-step mechanochemical process. This strategy promotes strong interfacial bonding and uniform dispersion, yielding synergistic property enhancements. At an optimal loading of 0.3 wt%, the PEP/F-GNP nanocomposite exhibited a substantial performance enhancement, with its tensile and tear strengths augmented by 263.0% and 64.2%, respectively. Moreover, the resulting coating delivered an 84.0% boost in impact resistance on aluminum alloy, along with enhanced substrate adhesion. Electrochemical and salt spray tests further confirmed its exceptional anti-corrosion performance. While the reinforcement strategy presented a classic trade-off with self-healing, it is critical to note that the nanocomposite preserved a high healing efficiency of 83.3% after impact damage. Overall, this scalable interfacial engineering strategy simultaneously enhances the material’s mechanical robustness and protective performance, while striking a favorable balance with its intrinsic self-healing capability, paving the way for next-generation coatings.