The Relest Wind paint is a polyurethane coating that is applied to the leading edge of the blade where most of the stress is experienced, particularly along the seam.
With a service life of around 20 years, the simple action of moving through the air, as well as rain and snow, at speeds of up to 300 kilometres an hour can damage the blades of turbines.
BASF claims that rain erosion resistance tests show the paint performing up to four times better than coatings currently available on the market.
To test rain erosion resistance, a blade specimen rotates on a mount in the testing stand and can reach speeds of 500 kilometers per hour. At this speed, water drops are introduced into the test stand so that they hit the test specimens.
The coating can be applied in a variety of ways, including by hand with brushes, rollers or spraypainting.
