Company Tests Coating to Prevent Corrosion Aboard Self Defense Test Ship
The experiment aboard the SDTS, homeported in Port Hueneme, California, is part of this year’s Coastal Trident series of Advanced Naval Technology Exercises, held from June through September.
The preselected sections of the fantail and engine room had recently been covered with paint to protect surfaces from corrosion and environmental damage. The purpose of applying the additional coating was to extend the life of the paint well beyond the expected repaint schedule, said Kaylee Clark, senior chemical engineer from Oceanit’s home office in Hawaii.
Clark was joined on the SDTS by Sumil Thapa, operations manager, and David Anderson, engineer, both from the company’s Houston office.
The team first cleaned and prepped the designated areas, then applied Oceanit’s EverPel protectant on portions of the newly painted sections on the fantail, including half of the support posts and half of the base of the former 52-inch gun mount.
In the engine room, the team covered half of a designated bulkhead area, as well as portions of three angle irons — like staggered open metal shelves — next to the gas turbine generator.
Written observations and photos were taken afterward of the coated areas and the adjacent control areas and will be collected at regular intervals by SDTS personnel to assess performance of the compound against standard coated or unprotected surfaces, likely until the ship is prepared for its final decommissioning in late 2028.
According to the company’s website, EverPel is an omniphobic metal surface treatment that protects metallic surfaces from corrosion, harsh environments and adverse weather. Omniphobic materials are engineered to repel virtually all liquids.
“We have performed controlled lab tests in salt fog chambers and outdoor tests on metal samples in marine environments, but the SDTS is our first direct application to a Navy vessel,” said Clark, who spent several days cleaning, prepping and painting the engine room sections and fantail areas. “Based on these controlled tests, we are hoping our coating will perform for two or more years.”
Clark added that the company does not expect the coating to degrade before the ship is retired.
Clark said this is Oceanit’s first time participating in an ANTX event. The company learned about ANTX-CT26 through an email forwarded by one of Oceanit’s senior engineers.
Clark said the company anticipates that EverPel will provide an additional protective layer that will reduce the corrosion rate and extend the time before recoating is required to two or more years.
She added that while the data collected from the experiment will be beneficial, it would be great to have additional opportunities applying the coating aboard a deployed Navy ship.
“Realistically on a ship with frequent activity, there is a greater possibility of our coating getting physically scraped or damaged, which could expose areas resulting in corrosion and inform more about the coating’s performance,” Clark explained.
The company has another specialized coating called AeroPel that is geared toward aviation use and has been applied on ground support equipment on an active Navy ship as well as equipment at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.
Both advanced surface treatments are designed to repel water- and oil-based fluids and impart chemical and corrosion resistance.
“This trial is ongoing and has shown positive results for more than a year,” Clark said.
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