Polyurethane has a microphase separation structure, while polyethylene glycol (PEG) can form a hydrated layer to resist protein adsorption. In this paper, PEG was introduced to polyurethane to improve the antifouling properties of the polyurethane, providing a new method and idea for the preparation of new antifouling polyurethane materials. The mechanical properties, hydrophilicity, swelling degree, microphase separation and antifouling performance of the coatings were evaluated. The response characteristics of the polyurethane coatings in a seawater environment were studied, and the performance changes of coatings in seawater were tested. The results showed that the crystallized PEG soft segments increased, promoting microphase separation. The stress at 100% and the elasticity modulus of the polyurethane material also markedly increased, in addition to increases in the swelling degree in seawater, the water contact angle decreased. A total of 25% of PEG incorporated into a soft segment can markedly improve the antibacterial properties of the coatings, but adding more PEG has little significant effect. After immersion in seawater, the coatings became softer and more elastic. This is because water molecules formed hydrogen bonding with the amino NH, which resulted in a weakening effect being exerted on the carbonyl C=O hydrogen bonding and ether oxygen group crystallization.
Waterborne silicate composite coatings were prepared to replace existing solvent-based coatings for ships. A series of complex coatings were prepared by adding anticorrosive pigments to the silicate resin. Adhesion, pencil hardness, and impact resistance were investigated, and corrosion performance in 3.5% NaCl solution was measured by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results show that adhesion and impact resistance are high, and that pencil hardness can reach 4H. The curing mechanism for the coatings were investigated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The mechanism of curing reaction in the studied waterborne silicate paint was found to be different from that reported in the literature. When the coatings were immersed in 3.5% NaCl solution for 8 h, there is only one time constant in the Bode plot, and coating capacitance (Qc) gradually increases while coating resistance (Rc) gradually decreases. Glass flake composite coatings have better corrosion resistance by comprehensive comparison of Qc and Rc.
To study the effect of weld and defects on the corrosion behavior of nickel aluminum bronze (UNS C95810) in 3.5% NaCl solution, the weight loss, X-ray diffraction, optical microscope, scanning electron microscope and electrochemical test of the specimen with weld and defects were investigated. The results show that the presence of weld and defects increases the corrosion rate of bronze. Weld does not change the structure of the corrosion product film, but defects induce a lack of the protective outermost corrosion product in bronze. Weld makes the corrosion product film in the early stage more porous. Defects always produce an increase in the dissolution rate of the bronze.