Abstract
The anti-cavitation performance and damage characteristics of polyurethane coatings containing carbon nanofibers (CNF) as reinforcement were investigated using the ultrasonic vibratory method in seawater (ASTM G32-10). Two commercial anti-cavitation coatings, glass flake-reinforced vinyl esther and urethane-modified epoxy, were used for comparison. During the cavitation tests, the cumulative mean depth of erosion (CMDE) was determined, and damage development against exposure time was evaluated for each coating using optical microscopy. A significant difference was found in the performance of the four polyurethane coatings. The polyurethane coating without CNF provided the least protection against cavitation attack, suggesting the added CNF improved and reinforced the resilience of the coating against impact pressure produced by cavitation bubble collapse. Excellent cavitation resistance was also exhibited by the polyurethane coating composition when fluorine was added, an improvement that may be attributed to the synergistic effect of CNF and fluorine on the polyurethane structure. Key words: Cavitation, Polyurethane, Coating, Carbon nanofibers(CNF)
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