Anti-Icing Chitin Coating System Development
Abstract
The objectives of this ONR project are to develop a standard icephobic chitin/chitosan paint system that can be easily and inexpensively produced and employed; to determine if the chitin/chitosan paint mix is effectively antifouling and to determine if the chitin/chitosan paint mix can be efficiently biostripped via chitinase reaction. The work will first focus on the production of homogenous chitin or chitosan suspensions. To date, five chitin/ chitosan materials have been mixed with polyurethane paint in Tyler mesh screen fractions ranging from +20 (850 micron opening) to -200 (75 micron opening). Maceration techniques still require refinement. These powders have been added in 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 weight percentages, based on the percentage non-volatiles in the paint. Dispersion was aided by preblending the chitin/chitosan fractions with paint thinner. Dispersion tests with seventeen other solvents proved unsuccessful. The most successful dispersion, to date, appears to be the -200 mesh (1-5 wt. %) Pfaltz and Bauer C07632 chitin/paint thinner preblend system. Preliminary icephobic tests are under way. Keywords: Antifouling paints.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 30, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA221054
Entities
People
- Craig T. Miller
- Gail L. Bowers-irone
- Robert J. Pryor