A pigment package designed by the US Naval Research Laboratory to limit discoloration of the exterior coating on surface vessels, has began making its way into the fleet and is producing early, positive results.
Namely, NRL researchers created the solution to meet the fleet needs for the Navy standard ‘haze gray’ paint that will remain color stable for longer than current coatings.
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The new pigment combination will become the standard for haze gray paint applied to surface ships. The first ship to be retrofitted with the pigment combination was USS Essex in 2017. The latest vessel to receive it was USS George Washington.
Now, three companies have already began mass-producing the paint, leading to about tens of thousands of gallons until now.
The pigment combinations were tested at NRL’s Key West facility for atmospheric exposure performance and accelerated weathering. Coatings that included the new pigments, had excellent color stability, as they were five times harder than silicone alkyd. They also had enhanced gloss retention and chemical resistance, and provided more barrier properties.
