Research on stimuli-responsive nanocontainers has attracted great interest due to their potential applications, such as corrosion inhibition. However, many reported systems present limitations related to the uncontrolled release of active agents and restricted functionality under real operating conditions. This study reports the synthesis of hybrid nanocontainers based on silica and poly(methyl methacrylate) (Si–PMMA) via a Pickering emulsion technique, designed for the encapsulation of the corrosion inhibitor benzotriazole (BTA). The effect of silica concentration on polymerization kinetics and droplet size was evaluated, revealing that higher silica content promotes emulsion stabilization and leads to more uniform particles. Morphological analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the formation of micro/nanocapsules with good dispersion and a homogeneous polymer coating. Subsequently, the encapsulation of BTA at different concentrations was investigated, showing that inhibitor loading influences the structural integrity of the nanocontainers. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests carried out on coatings applied to copper demonstrated that systems with higher silica and BTA content exhibit a significant improvement in corrosion resistance, highlighting the potential of these nanocontainers as active additives in smart coatings. These results provide a promising strategy for the design of functional coatings with controlled inhibitor release aimed at protecting metallic materials such as copper.

This work was supported by the laboratories of Universidad Veracruzana and by the funds provided by the Secretaría de Ciencia, Humanidades, Tecnología e Innovación (SECIHTI) through an academic scholarship.