It is known that the aquatic environment is rich in various microorganisms, algae. All metal structures that are in water are exposed to these microorganisms. Such a constant effect is the cause of an enhanced metal corrosion process. This leads to premature wear of metal structures, vessels, various port and hydraulic structures. The surfaces of these structures are surrounded by algae, small marine organisms stick to it. For the most part, sea vessels suffer from this, which means economic and environmental losses increase.
Of great importance in this process is the protection of vessels from the fusion with microorganisms and from biological damage. Such damage leads to a decrease in safety during the operation of the vessel, increase fuel consumption by almost half. Additional setting of the vessel in the dock requires additional costs.
In order to prevent fusion with algae and marine organisms, the surfaces of such structures are painted with special paintwork. There are 2 types of them: self -cleaning LKM and biocidal, t. e. with chemical additives killing all living things.
The first form prevents the fussing. The composition of such materials provides for the presence of polymer compounds that dissolve in sea water. This material was very effective and found widely used. However, for the ecosystem, it is very toxic. At this time, the accumulation of harmful substances in the marine ecosystem has become threatening and since 2008 these biocides have been prohibited.
Scientists around the world have taken up the search for new types of LCMs that would not have toxic substances. Currently, rosin, copper oxide, etc. are used as a film -forming basis. Copper -containing compounds. But this composition is not as safe as we would like. Ecologists are sure that after 2-3 years it will be necessary to send scientific developments to the search for new compounds again, since the service life of LCM based on copper is a maximum of 5 years.
New developments of LKM must meet the requirements such as: the loss of the activity of toxic components for at least 12 hours, a complete refusal in anti -shaped coatings from heavy metals, the slowness of their release into water, which will reduce their concentration in sea water.
Scientists see two directions for the development of corrosion protection and the biological system of metal structures in connection with these requirements:
LKM with a slippery surface that prevents the fusion and sticking of microorganisms and makes it possible not to add harmful additives;
Achieve an increase in the service life of the coating, through the use of new highly effective environmentally friendly materials with reduced toxicity.
The first direction is to use non -toxic coatings, the layers of which are easily removed mechanically, simply oncoming water when the vessel moves.
Due to the smoothness of such a coating, sea microorganisms do not stick and these properties contribute to increasing the speed of the vessels and saving fuel. The main film former of such coatings is fluorine and flint additives. However, coatings of this type are effective on ships with high speed, where the stream of water can wash off adhesive organisms, and this is a speed above 18 knots.
In the production of paints and varnishes providing coatings with low surface tension or coating, from which the main components are slowly washed out, there are difficulties, which include temporary changes in the coating. This is expressed in the fact that the surface tension on the surface, which had begun with clean water, can greatly differ from surface tension on the surface, which for several days was unable.
The speed and size of such a change depend on the composition of the coating. In both cases, when developing universal coatings, nanotechnologies are assigned a significant role. With them, you can initially control the behavior of particles at the micro level. Abroads have already been developed by LKM with a surface of nanomaterials, which effectively opposite the surfaces of the surfaces by marine organisms.
These LKMs are developed on the basis of nanodopic. As anti -shaped agents, according to foreign publications, is the use of standard pharmaceutical products. After all, it is not at all necessary to kill marine organisms, it is enough not to let them attach to the surface located in the water of the object. So for those who are engaged in the production of LKM a wide research field.