Designing molecular protection: new paradigm for developing corrosion resistant materials uniting high throughput studies, multiscale modelling and self-repair

Over the past decade, three technologies, high throughput studies, multiscale modelling (MSM) and self-repair, have entered the field of corrosion science. MSM links processes from 10(6) to 10(-7) m and allows an understanding of how metal protection systems interact with the environment and with surface electrochemical processes. Potentially MSM has the ability to accurately predict component life and so permit virtual design. In virtual design, a huge range of possible design (including molecular designs) can be assessed on a PC before selecting the best performing inhibitor for a specific application. High throughput experimentation permits many tests to be undertaken at one time. As well as allowing a huge range of inhibitors to be tested under a variety of conditions, it allows the inhibitors of the one family with subtly different molecular configurations to be tested. Self-repair is based on the principle that no matter how well we design and construct a material, it will always develop defects and thus the safest way to design is to build in agents that can cause the material to repair itself. These materials by themselves can hasten our material development and provide more reliable materials; however, if combined synergistically, they will permit radically new materials with tailored functionalities to be developed.