Page 34 - 201902 SCA February 2019 Volume 56 Number 1

Technical ARTICLE

Swinburne researcher develops coating to prevent

corrosion on ships

by Swinburne University of Technology
This article is reproduced from www.swinburne.edu.au (bit.ly/2RygZw5)

Swinburne researchers are collaborating
with experts from the Defence Materials
Technology Centre, MacTaggart Scott

Australia, United Surface Technologies
and the Defence Science and Technology
Group to advance technology preventing

biofouling on ships.

Preparing for the on-board trials on HMAS Canberra,
Dr Andrew Ang and Mr Matthew Leigh.
Photo credit: POIS Yuri Ramsey, Navy Imagery Unit, Department of Defence.

The new corrosion-resistant coating has halved the Applying the coating
build-up of algae and barnacles on ship hydraulic “Many scientists around the world are looking for
components and is now being trialled on HMAS new ways to combat biofouling and corrosion,”
Canberra, one of the Royal Australian Navy landing Dr Ang says.
helicopter dock ships.
“We have developed new materials and used a
Lead researcher on the project, Dr Andrew Ang, supersonic combustion flame jet, essentially a
collaborated with industry experts to tackle the flame thrower, to coat hydraulic machinery parts
issue of corrosion and biofouling, where tiny marine and found these new protective coatings reduce
plants and animals build up on the surface of things biofouling by roughly 50 per cent compared to
that are constantly in the water, such as ship hulls, current standard coatings.”
anchors and piers.
The treatment, a single layer of carbide-based
This build-up can transport pest species to coating, is being trialled on parts of ships that
new areas, cause corrosion, damage to critical require very smooth surfaces usually exposed to
mechanical components and increase the drag on a harsh operating conditions and as such rapidly
ship, causing it to burn more fuel as it sails. degrade from biofouling and corrosion.
These factors combine to impose a massive The treatment is likely to be too expensive to be
expense on the shipping industry worldwide. used on entire ship hulls, but could impact critically
important machinery on a ship that helps provide
propulsion or heavy lifting capabilities.

32 Journal of Surface Coatings Australia • February 2019