An Investigation of the Corrosion and Cavitation Resistance of Different Thermally Sprayed Coatings in River and Marine Environments

To evaluate the corrosion resistance of various coatings applied by the flame spraying method, and to compare their protective properties in sweet- and sea-water samples with seven types of coatings were made, one of them is paint, used to coat ship’s bottom. SEM, Neutral spray salt, according to ASTM B117, erosion-corrosion (E-C) tests in sweet- and sea-water were carried out. The test results showed that coatings based on zinc alloys and polymer are much more effective than standard epoxy coatings and can be compared with expensive zinc-filled paints, because the latter require frequent repairs and repainting. Moreover, the developed coatings are supposed to protect against fouling. At the moment, the fouling tests are continuing.