Water immersion test

The two samples were prepared with and without graphene were immersed
fully in water and time taken for the samples to start changes in color, blistering, loss
of adhesion and softening are observed and presented. There are 3 period for the time
taken which are 15, 40 and 60 minutes to any changes in the coating surface such as
blistering and softening. Below are the sample with and without graphene before the
immersion test while the Figure 2 shows the setup for the immersion of the samples in
water.

Without graphene With graphene

Figure 1: The samples before water immersion test

Figure 2: The setup for the water immersion test for the sample without graphene (top) and sample with
graphene (bottom)
 Blistering sign

Loss of adhesion

Figure 3: After 15 minutes immersion time of clay coated samples without graphene (left) and with graphene (right)

After 15 minutes of immersion, the clay coating sample without graphene

shows loss of adhesion and also blistering while sample with graphene shows also loss
of adhesion and blistering but less than samples without graphene. After 40 minutes,
more blistering is observed at none graphene coated samples. For the graphene coated
samples, there is slight changes of color and have several blistering. Only after 60
minutes, the clay coated samples with graphene showed loss of adhesion, few more
blistering and color changes to dark grey while without graphene’s sample showed
almost completely loss of adhesion.
 Blistering sign

Loss of adhesion
Changes in colour

Figure 4: After 40 minutes immersion time of clay coated samples without graphene (left) and with graphene
(right)
 Blistering sign

Changes in colour
Loss of adhesion

Figure 5: After 60 minutes immersion time of clay coated samples without graphene (left) and with graphene (right)

The coated samples with graphene have higher immersed time in water
compared to the samples without graphene. The changes of coating surface are more
quickly for the non- graphene clay coating. In general, it can be observed that graphene
has improved the performance of clay coating against water in terms of adhesion,
blistering and changes of color. Therefore, graphene provides more water resistance
to the clay coating.

Based on the observations from 3 consecutive time of 2 samples, it can be

translated into a grading system for blistering and loss of adhesion which as you can
see at table 1 below. From the table 1, the data can be converted into line graph for
blistering and also loss of adhesion.
 Table 1: Experiment data based on grading from the samples

Blistering Loss of adhesion

Time (min) Without With Without With

graphene graphene graphene graphene

15 8 5 10 8

40 12 6 14 10

60 20 8 20 13

a. Gradings: 0 = no failure/ no changes; 5 = slight; 10 = moderate; 15 = bad;

20 = very bad failure

BLISTERING'S GRADE
Without graphene With graphene

25

20

15
GRADES

10

0
15 40 60
TIMES (MIN)

Figure 6: Line graph of Blistering's grade

 LOSS OF ADHESION'S GRADE
Without graphene With graphene

25

20

15
GRADES

10

0
15 40 60
TIMES (MIN)

Figure 7: Line graph of deadhesion's grade

Based on line graph from figure 6 and 7, it shows that the sample with graphene
have lower grade compared to sample without graphene which shows that the sample
with graphene have better water resistance.