Abstract
The main objective of this report is to give an overview of progress on protective coatings for wind turbine blades, with focus on wear and erosion resistance, anti icing, anti soiling and salt resistance. Due to limited oil resources and climate problem, the demand for renewable energy is significantly growing. Dunng last year, 43 % of new investments were contributed to wind energy projects. The coatings on the blade must posess special properties, e.g. adhesion to a composite substrate, flexibility throughout operating temperature range, resistance to sand and rain erosion. Commonly used materials for the protection of wind turbines are epoxies, urethanes, siloxenes as well as Ruoropolymers. Sintef is proposing a novel type of inorganic coatings reinforced with nanoceramic particles. Such nanoparticles are organic/inorganic hybrid polymers synthesized based on Sintefs technology (FunzioNano'), which surface can be modified for use in a variety of polymeric materials (lacquers, paints, thermoplastics etc). Coatings were submitted to a friction, erosion and ice adhesion test; the obtained results showed improved erosion resistance comparing to paints reinforced with commercial nanoparticles.