Progress of material degradation: metals and polymers in deep-sea environments

Abstract Given the critical need for ocean exploration, improving the durability of materials in the deep-sea has become a paramount concern. The harshness of deep-sea, such as high pressure, variable seawater flow rates, and corrosive media, lead to premature aging and failure. This work examines the utilization of metals and polymer coatings in deep-sea applications, detailing the characteristics of the deep-sea and its influence on these materials. In particular, chloride ions in seawater pose significant hazards to metal corrosion, which is the main reason for metal failure. Then, the degradation process and the latest research advances of various materials in the deep-sea environment are summarized, and the failure mechanism of the metal/coating system in the deep-sea is analyzed. It was found that the failure of polymer coatings can be divided into three processes, and adding an appropriate amount of fillers to the coating (such as adding 0.2 % graphene to water-based polyurethane) can extend the service life of the coating. Finally, the development trend of the company in the future is predicted. It has guiding and reference significance for the study of the failure behavior of metals and polymers in the deep-sea environment.