In this study, anticorrosive coatings were developed for mild steel surfaces using epoxy resin as a barrier with a high aspect ratio. The study investigated the impact of modifying graphene oxide (GO) with d-glucose (D-g) on protecting mild steel from corrosion in a 3.5 wt.% sodium chloride (NaCl) solution for 42 days. The hydrophilic nature of D-glucose, GO, and EP enabled the formation of nanocomposites with uniform distribution of D-g-modified GO in the EP coatings, reducing free volume in the epoxy matrix. The 0.7% D-g modified GO/EP coating exhibited strong anticorrosion properties even in highly corrosive conditions by achieving a high corrosion resistance value of -19.405 mm/year. According to the morphological observation, the 0.7% m-GO/EP coating displayed fewer invisible rusts on the metal substrate even after 42 days. Incorporating D-g/GO significantly improved the corrosion protection performance of the coatings by combining EP and graphene. This study marks the first report on D-g modified GO/EP composite coatings for enhanced anticorrosive properties, making it a noteworthy contribution to eco-friendly corrosion protection mechanisms in EP coating systems in Malaysia. The environmentally friendly approach aligns with sustainable development principles and has garnered global attention from researchers and scientists. Earlier research has extensively explored the effect of surface-functionalized GO particles on the corrosion resistance of polymeric coatings.
