| Solid buoyancy materials, which provide the necessary floatation for various underwater equipment and facilities, are indispensable in offshore explorations and productions. They are susceptible to marine fouling when in long-term use in the marine environment. Serious harms may be done to the solid buoyancy materials and the equipment that utilizes them by the fouling organisms, resulting in the performance degradation and functional damage of the buoyancy materials, and seriously affecting the service life and economic value of the equipment. Herein, recent developments in the research of solid buoyancy materials and marine fouling are reviewed. The characteristics of solid buoyancy materials, the marine fouling mechanisms and the anti-fouling techniques are summarized. The working mechanisms, application limits and pros and cons of a variety of anti-fouling techniques are analyzed and compared. The developments and prospects of hybrid protection methods and novel protection methods are evaluated. Finally, discussions and suggestions are made on the future of the anti-fouling protection of buoyancy materials, based on the practical experience in the offshore industry. |
