Leaching Behavior of Antifoulants from Antifouling Paints : 3rd Report

Abstract

Antifouling paint on the shell bottom performs functions of making the surface of the shell bottom smooth and preventing an increase in frictional resistance by preventing the attachment of marine growth thereto. For three kinds of antifouling paints different in antifouling system, we have carried out a rotor test in sea water, and measured the surface roughness by using a surface roughness gauge and observed the paint film cross section by an electron scanning microscope. In regard to the leaching behaviour of antifouling agent and the change of paint film surface condition, the following results have been found : 1) The leaching rate of antifouling agent obtained in the rotor test in sea water is 70-150 times that in immersion test in still sea water. 2) To prolong the life of antifouling paint, it is effective to control the diffusion of antifouling agent in paint film. 3) In such conditions as in the rotor test in sea water, the surface roughness hardly changes. Thus, we have confirmed that this investigation is useful to clear the relation between the leaching behaviour of antifouling agent and the antifouling performance.