Numerical assessment of marine coating materials, balancing, performance and environmental compatibility

In this study, a numerical assessment of marine coating materials, balancing performance and environmental compatibility, was performed. The research addressed the critical industry problem of selecting coatings that offer long-term protection without causing significant ecological harm, a trade-off often poorly quantified. Unlike previous works that isolated performance from environmental testing, this research bridged the gap by integrating computational simulations (ANSYS, COMSOL, MATLAB) with empirical data for a holistic evaluation of epoxy-based, polyurethane, zinc-rich, and silicone-based coatings. The results quantified key trade-offs: the zinc-rich coating provided superior corrosion resistance (0.0024 mm/year corrosion rate) and the highest adhesion strength (3.70 MPa) but degraded the fastest (0.035 mm/year). The silicone-based coating exhibited the best durability (0.009 mm/year degradation) and lowest environmental toxicity (LC50 >1000 mg/L) but the poorest adhesion (1.48 MPa) and highest corrosion rate (0.0184 mm/year) without a primer. Biocide-based anti-fouling coatings (epoxy, polyurethane) showed effective fouling inhibition (18-22% coverage after 1 year) but high toxicity (LC50 of 2.8 and 5.1 mg/L, respectively). This work provides a decisive numerical framework for stakeholders to optimize coating selection based on specific operational and environmental constraints, contributing significantly to sustainable marine engineering practices. It is recommended that future research focus on enhancing the adhesion of eco-friendly foul-release coatings and validating these models with long-term real-world data.