The use of metals in the design and manufacture of subsea equipment may not be the best choice of materials for the job.
Satisfactory alternatives exist, particularly groups of polymers known as polyurethanes.
Polyurethane often offers an advantage over conventional steel materials, and provides a design solution which cannot be matched by these conventional options. The Problem with Metals For as long as man has worked in the sea, implements and structures have been produced for use in this unusual environment. Early equipment was produced in iron, and later from steel. However, a problem soon became apparent. Seawater is a highly corrosive medium in which these materials rust very quickly.