Importance

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Abstract

By establishing a direct electrical current between electrodes in an electrolyte like seawater, brine or brackish water, calcium carbonates, magnesium hydroxides, and hydrogen are precipitated at the cathode, while at the anode, oxygen and chlorine are produced. The electrochemical precipitation of minerals at the surface, to form a coating, or internally, to mineralize, of organic fibrous material, such as wood, is utilized to prevent attack by fouling and boring organisms, and to improve structural characteristics of the material. To provide a mineral coating on a structure made of a fibrous material, one or more cathodes are inserted in the structure, which is disposed in an electrolyte such as seawater, brine, or brackish water. One or more anodes are disposed in proximity to the structure, and a direct electrical current is established between the electrodes for a period of time sufficient to coat the structure and/or mineralize the fibrous material.

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First Claim