Sol-gel materials for fouling prevention on Wind Turbine Blades (SOLOBLADE)

Project Description

Offshore wind turbines are more prone to erosion and fouling than inland turbines, leading to reduced energy output, production losses, and higher maintenance costs. Coatings have emerged as a critical component of wind energy conversion systems to tackle these aspects. This study aims to to create and investigate novel silica-based sol-gel coatings that can protect wind turbine blades from erosion/water droplet erosion (WDE) while also examining the adhesion properties between the composite material (FRP/CFRP) and the coating. In addition, the study will examine the effectiveness of sol-gel coatings by evaluating the coatings' ability to prevent fouling agents from accumulating on blade surfaces.