6,000 hours of real world anti-corrosion coastal testing

The buoy test panels endured over 6,000 hours of coastal testing, offering a true assessment of the paint systems' ability to withstand harsh environmental conditions

- 

In conjunction with Marine Energy Engineering Centre of Excellence (MEECE), Hexigone embarked on a rigorous real-world test of their anti-corrosion additive, Intelli-ion" AX1. From September 2022 to June 2023, 31 sets of panels were attached to a buoy. Deployed in a unique test location, they endured over 6,000 hours, battling the formidable forces of the Celtic Sea.

The test setup: Panels and preparation

The panels used in this project were constructed from low carbon, cold-rolled steel featuring a matte finish. These panels are typically used in general-purpose sheet metal applications and adhere to ASTM A1008, A-109, and QQS-698 standards.

To ensure a thorough evaluation, the panels were coated with various types of anticorrosion coatings:

Solventborne alkyd

Painted with a paintbrush:

4 panels were painted with a co-blend of 3% AX1 & 2% zinc phosphate

4 panels were painted with 5% AX1 only

Solventborne 2-pak epoxy

Spray-painted with a compressed air paint gun:

4 panels were painted with 0% AX1

4 panels were painted with a co-blend of 5% AX1 & zinc phosphate

All solventborne 2-pak epoxy primers contained zinc phosphate anti-corrosive pigments, resulting in all epoxy-coated panels possessing a blend of anti-corrosive substances for comparing co-blend panels against industry standards.

Waterborne acrylic

8 panels were painted with a co-blend of 2% AX1 & 2% polyphosphate