The Secretary of State for Energy in Her Britannic Majesty's Government

The Secretary of State in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the

Malcolm R Bowditch

The invention relates to a method of forming a metal-resin bond in the presence of environmental contamination of the metal surface by, for example, adsorbed water. The method consists of cleaning the metal surface and then coating it with a pre-treatment material adapted to displace the adsorbed contaminant and to be displaced in turn by the applied resin. The method is particularly relevant to the formation of steel/epoxy resin bonds underwater for the repair of submerged structures. The pre-treatment material may consist of a hydrocarbon solvent containing in solution a surfactant such as an ionic surfactant together with a viscous hydrocarbon such as petroleum jelly.

Surface pre-treatment prior to underwater bonding

A method of making an adhesive bond, particularly suitable for underwater repairs consists of impregnating compliant foam material having an open cell structure with a thermosetting resinous adhesive, applying the foam to a substrate to be bonded or a puncture therein and applying pressure to the foam to immobilize the adhesive within the foam.

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Broadstone, United Kingdom

Malcolm R Bowditch