A ‘hexagonal Warrior’ Multifunctional Coating with Active Attack and Passive Defense: Synergy Between Sulfur Vacancy and Schottky Junction into MXene/MoS2 Photocatalysts

Microbial corrosion is the dominant factor contributing to the degradation of metal materials, leading to significant financial implications. Researchers have shown a growing interest in photocatalytic materials due to their diverse attributes and intricate structures, with the goal of advancing coating technologies. However, the vulnerability of photocatalytic materials to damage and their subpar charge separation efficiency have hindered their application in developing anticorrosion coatings for metallic structures. To address these challenges, a novel approach based on the multifunctional ‘hexagonal warrior’ concept has been proposed. This innovative strategy involves coating steel with self-repair resin, followed by an epoxy resin incorporating MXene@MoS2 heterojunction to create versatile protective coatings. The study demonstrates the potential of MXene@MoS2 Schottky particles as direct coatings on metal substrates, capable of forming multifunctional coatings that act as a ‘nano killer’ to actively combat bacteria under visible light and enhance the passive anti-corrosion properties by creating a maze-like obstacle effect. By utilizing active ‘nano killer’ attack and ‘maze obstacle’ passive defense functions, this study provides a practical approach for synthesizing environmentally friendly ‘hexagonal warrior’ coatings with superior anticorrosive properties.