1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a coating that is applied to a surface. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to a protective coating that is applied to the underwater portion of a marine vessel so as to inhibit the growth of marine foulants.
2. Description of the Related Art
Marine vessels that reside in a water environment over certain lengths of time can accumulate biological growth, known as foulants, on those surfaces that are in contact with the water. Diverse species of hard and soft fouling organisms, such as barnacles, zebra mussels, algae, and slime, form colonies on the underwater surfaces of the vessel, particularly when a vessel is docked, because each requires a permanent anchorage in order to mature and reproduce. Marine growth fouling adds weight to a ship, increases the amount of fuel consumed, and reduces its speed.
Historically, to combat the growth of marine foulants, the underwater surfaces of ships have been coated with antifoulant paints, which often include toxic materials to inhibit biological growth. The antifoulant paints may degrade and break down over time, releasing the toxic materials from the marine vessel into the surrounding water. These toxic materials may include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). The International Maritime Organization and the United States Environmental Protection Agency have enacted regulations and standards that restrict the emission of VOCs and HAPs from antifoulant paints. The decomposition and break down of the antifoulant paint results in reduced efficacy of the protection afforded by the antifoulants, thereby requiring reapplication of the paint in a relatively short time. Thus, a coating material is required that can be applied to the underwater surfaces of a marine vessel which repels the growth of fouling organisms on such surfaces and has an extended lifetime without releasing significant amounts of toxic materials into the environment.