Marine Coatings

Around 80% of international trade by volume is undertaken through seas and oceans by marine vessels The crude oil and petroleum industries are heavily dependent on the same, which in turn regulates the world economy. The marine vessels and infrastructures built in and around the sea are exposed to the harshest of the environment of the marine vessels. Protection of these structures using coatings is paramount to their safe deployment in the marine environment. In this context, the present chapter provides a brief overview of the basic understanding, the coating techniques, the materials, and the challenges involved in developing marine coatings. To this end, polymer-based coatings such as epoxy, polyurethane, poly(tetrafluoroethylene), and poly(dimethyl siloxane) are extensively used. These coatings are further suitably incorporated with various nanoparticles and/or modified with chemical species to impart various specific functions and properties such as corrosion resistance, anti-abrasion, anti-fouling, anti-icing, infrared reflection, etc. These concepts and materials exhibiting these properties, reported in the literature, are briefly discussed. Besides these, the coating that serves as thermal barrier coating (TBC) comprising ceramic materials is also deliberated. Further, the various technological functions and defects in coatings emanating from harsh marine environments are also discussed. Lastly, the chapter recommends a few key areas where future research should be heading forward.