Electroless plating of silver on cenosphere particles and the investigation of its corrosion behavior in composite silicon rubber

In this paper, silver coating on the surface of cenosphere particles was prepared by electroless plating method. The adhesion, oxidation resistance and corrosion resistance properties of silver coating mixed in silicone rubber were investigated. The corrosion characteristic of silver coating was evaluated by anodic polarization curves of the silicone rubber composite in sulfuric acid solution. The results showed that the silver coating on the surface of cenosphere particles was smooth and uniform. The silver film was not oxidized and peeling off during preparation of composite silicone rubber. The adhesion between the cenosphere particle and silver film was good enough. The anodic polarization curves of the silicone rubber composite showed typical activation and passivation transformation. The values of corrosion potential, the initiating passive potential and maintaining passivity potential of composites filled with different contents of Ag-coated cenosphere particles were the same and related to the nature of silver coating. The passive current density of composite increased with increase of the amount of Ag-coated cenosphere particles and was inversely proportional to the resistance of silicone rubber composite. The better the conductivity of silicone rubber composite is, the higher corrosion rate will be.