Iron-based structures suffer from corrosion. Various methods, such as anodic or cathodic protection, alloy formation, removing the oxidizing agent, or applying a protective coating, have been developed to overcome this problem. However, as iron nanoparticles are chemically highly reactive, protecting them from corrosion is still a challenge.

David Avnir, Gad Marom, and Yohann Aouat, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, prepared iron nanoparticles coated with a thin protective layer of polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMSs) by the thermal decomposition of Fe(CO)₅ in the presence of small amounts of PDMS.

Comprehensive testing of this metallic material by potentiodynamic polarization measurements and impedance spectroscopy, along with detailed material characterization, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and magnetization measurements, indicate that the coated iron nanoparticles have excellent stability against corrosion. The corrosion rate is lower than 3 μm per year.

• Corrosion-Resistant Hybrid Nanoparticles of Polydimethylsiloxane@Fe Obtained by Thermolysis of Fe(CO)₅,
  Yohann Aouat, Gad Marom, David Avnir,
  Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2016.
  DOI: 10.1002/ejic.201501492