OUTER COATING FOR SHIP HULL

Abstract

The invention relates to an outer coating of a ship's hull in the underwater area, wherein the coating comprises a bottom layer on the hull exterior, said layer being made of an adhesive or an ethylene-propylene-diene rubber and being particularly designed as a film, and a superimposed top layer made of an ultra high-molecular weight polyethylene.

Claims

1. An external ship-hull coating in the submarine sector, wherein the coating in particular in the form of film comprises: an underlayer made of an adhesive or of an ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, in contact with the outer surface of the hull and, arranged thereon, an upper layer made of an ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene.

2. The coating according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the upper layer is from 0.5 to 3 mm.

3. The coating according to claim 1, wherein the underlayer is a single- or two-component adhesive.

4. The coating according to claim 3, wherein the single- or two-component adhesive is an epoxy resin with a hardener.

5. The coating according to claim 1, wherein the underlayer is an acrylate adhesive.

6. The coating according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the underlayer is from 0.5 to 30 mm.

7. The coating according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one further reinforcement layer arranged between the underlayer and the upper layer and/or under the underlayer.

8. The coating according to claim 7, wherein the reinforcement layer is at least one textile made of steel, plastic and/or glass.

9. The coating according to claim 8, wherein the textile is in the underlayer.

10. The coating according to claim 7, wherein the reinforcement layer has embedded glass fibers and/or carbon fibers.

11. The coating according to claim 1, further comprising: additives comprised of PTFE, carbon black, UV stabilizers and/or flame-retardant substances in the upper layer and/or underlayer.

12. The coating according claim 1, wherein the film is a laminate.

13. The coating according to claim 1, wherein the underlayer consists at least partially of elastomers such as silicone, butyl, chloroprene, nitrile or other fluoroelastomers.

14. The coating according to claim 1, wherein the molar mass of the upper layer made of ultrahigh-moleular-weight polyethylene is from 3 million g/mol to 15 million g/mol.

15. The coating according to claim 1, wherein the upper layer consists of cross linked polyethylene or cross linked polyethylene plastomer with from 30% to 90% gel content.

Description

[0011] Embodiments of the invention are described below.

[0012] The film for the coating of the external areas of a ship hull or boat hull has a two- or multilayer structure and has at least one underlayer made of an ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM), preferably in the form of calendered film. An upper layer in particular in the form of film, made of an ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has been applied to this underlayer. Underlayer and upper layer have preferably been bonded to one another by vulcanization, and the product can be described as laminate.

[0013] The laminate is adhesive-bonded to steel hulls, and the edge regions are welded side-to-side. In the case of hulls made of GRP/CRP, the laminate can be introduced into the mold or adhesive-bonded subsequently.

[0014] The preferred thickness of the UHMWPE film is from 0.5 mm to 3 mm, and the preferred thickness of the EPDM is from 0.5 mm to 30 mm, depending on the application. The coating can also alternatively take the form of a two- or multilayer panel.

[0015] The laminate can be constructed with various layers and, if necessary, can be reinforced with films, with steel textiles, with synthetic textiles or with other textiles. Additives can be added to the UHMWPE film in order to improve the corresponding properties, examples being PTFE (antifriction characteristics, antiadhesive characteristics), carbon black (for conductivity), UV stabilizers (improvement of UV-resistance) and biocides to counter growth of algae.

[0016] It is preferable that the underlayer consists to some extent or entirely of various elastomers such as silicone, butyl, chloroprene, nitrile (NBR or HNBR) or other fluoroelastomers. It is preferable that the underlayer is a single- or two-component adhesive, in particular an epoxy resin with a hardener. The underlayer can also be an acrylate adhesive, in particular an acrylate foam adhesive.

[0017] The molar mass of the upper layer made of UHMWPE is preferably from 3 million g/mol to 15 million g/mol, preferably from 5 million g/mol to 10 million g/mol. The upper layer moreover advantageously consists of cross linked PE or cross linked PE plastomer with from 30% to 90% gel content, preferably from 40% to 70%.

[0018] The underlayer moreover particularly advantageously compensates differences in coefficient of expansion between the hull and the upper layer.