Scientists have developed new waterproof coatings. They will protect coastal infrastructure and ship hulls in Arctic and tropical conditions. The development involved specialists from the St. Petersburg Electrotechnical University "LETI", the university's press service reported.
We have developed innovative organosilicate coatings that provide high protection of polymer and metal structures from environmental influences — moisture, solar radiation and ultraviolet radiation — in both cold and tropical climates.
In the Arctic climate, due to low temperatures and severe frosts, moisture freezes inside porous materials. This leads to their destruction and deterioration of properties. In the tropics, high humidity, solar radiation and ultraviolet light accelerate aging and spoilage of materials.
Scientists have developed organosilicate compositions based on organosilicon varnish to solve this problem. Coatings made of these materials, applied to polymer composites and steel, have been tested in tropical and extremely cold climates for 8-12 months.
New coatings will be used to protect coastal protective structures, ship hulls made of polymer composites (fiberglass and carbon fiber), as well as various infrastructure elements operated in extreme climatic conditions. Their use will significantly increase the service life of facilities and reduce repair and maintenance costs.
Earlier, the Russian government presented an updated shipbuilding development strategy until 2036 and 2050. According to the document, the Russian tanker and passenger fleet is in a deplorable state. The wear and tear of ships is alarming: 68% of tankers and 70% of passenger ships are over 30 years old. In the next six years, it is planned to allocate more than 500 billion rubles to support manufacturers, ship customers and the creation of components.
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