Modern anti-corrosion tank coatings are complex polymeric systems which are expected to provide corrosion protection after portage of many types of strong chemical and solvent cargos. Longevity of the applied coating system is a function of the characteristics and quality of the formulated coating as well as the physical application. A tank coating testing program has been developed to evaluate specific failure modes with troublesome representative solvents frequently traded in large multi-tank marine vessels. Methanol, benzene, acetone, ethylene dichloride, vinyl and ethyl acetate, methyl isobutyl ketone, and 2-ethylhexy acrylate as well as hot crude tall oil have been used as test cargos to evaluate candidate tank linings. The evaluation techniques utilize monitoring cargo absorption and resorption rates as a function of coating weight followed by gas chromatographyhnass spectroscopy (GC/MS) of the test solutions to identify extracted coating materials released into the solvent cargos. Solvent retention in the lining is followed by GUMS of coating chips with known exposure histories. Failure modes are
demonstrated and mechanisms are proposed. Keywords:
Tank lining, marine, coating failure analysis, test procedures, coating evaluation, GC/MS.