The mitigation of corrosion and biofouling is a challenge. Through application of chemicals and special techniques can slow these undesired processes, an effective resolution requires a multidisciplinary approach involving scientists, engineers, and metallurgists. In order to understand the importance of the use of nano-and microlayers as well as selfhealing coatings, the basic concepts of corrosion, corrosion mechanisms, corrosion inhibition and the microbiologically influenced corrosion will be summarised. The preparation, characterization and application of Langmuir-Blodgett and self assembled nanolayers in corrosive and microbial environment will be discussed. Preparation and characterization of microcapsules/ microspheres and their application in coatings will be demonstrated by a number of examples.Keywords: nano-and microcoating, self-healing, slow-release, anticorrosion, antifouling
IntroductionCorrosion is a well-known problem all over the world. It consumes a significant part of the gross national product (GDP) of developed and developing countries. A number of authors have provided comprehensive introductions to corrosion mainly in aqueous and wet environments (Jones, 1991;Kaesche, 2003; McCafferety, 2010). Corrosion is the destructive result of the chemical/electrochemical reactions between metals and the environment. Corrosive reactions involve water in either liquid or condensed phases. Most corrosion reactions are electrochemical processes. These involve electron or charge transfer in aqueous solution which leads to metal dissolution (anodic reaction). Depending on the pH of the solution, either hydrogen or hydroxonium ions evolve, resulting in oxides, oxyhydroxides, hydroxides and salts formed on the metal surface (cathodic reaction). The electrochemical potential or electron activity affects the rate of corrosion reaction. To understand corrosion it is necessary to discuss briefly the types of corrosion and the reactions involved.Corrosion occurs in various forms.-Uniform corrosion: The metal surface must be compositionally uniform; the aggressive environment has the same access to all parts of the metal. This type of