Assessment of Antifouling Potential of Novel Transparent Sol Gel Coatings for Application in the Marine Environment

In recent years, there has become a growing need for the development of antifouling technology for application in the marine environment. The accumulation of large quantities of biomass on these surfaces cause substantial economic burdens within the marine industry, or adversely impact the performan...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2019-08, Vol.24 (16), p.2983
Main Authors:	Richards, Chloe, Briciu-Burghina, Ciprian, Jacobs, Matthew R, Barrett, Alan, Regan, Fiona
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	antifouling Antifouling coatings Antifouling substances Aquatic Organisms Bacteria Bioaccumulation biofilm formation Biofilms Biofilms - drug effects Biofilms - growth & development Biofouling Biofouling - prevention & control Coatings Contact angle Diatoms - drug effects Diatoms - growth & development hydrophilic Hydrophilic surfaces hydrophobic Hydrophobic surfaces Impact analysis Marine environment Marine technology Panels Phase Transition Plankton Protective coatings Proteins Sensors Silanes - chemistry Silanes - pharmacology sol gel chemistry Sol-gel processes Surface chemistry Surface Properties - drug effects transparent coatings Wettability
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Summary:	In recent years, there has become a growing need for the development of antifouling technology for application in the marine environment. The accumulation of large quantities of biomass on these surfaces cause substantial economic burdens within the marine industry, or adversely impact the performance of sensor technologies. Here, we present a study of transparent coatings with potential for applications on sensors or devices with optical windows. The focus of the study is on the abundance and diversity of biofouling organisms that accumulate on glass panels coated with novel transparent or opaque organically modified silicate (ORMOSIL) coatings. The diatom assessment was used to determine the effectiveness of the coatings against biofouling. Test panels were deployed in a marine environment in Galway Bay for durations of nine and thirteen months to examine differences in biofilm formation in both microfouling and macrofouling conditions. The most effective coating is one which consists of precursor, tetraethyl orthosilicate (HC006) that has a water contact angle > 100, without significant roughness (43.52 nm). However, improved roughness and wettability of a second coating, diethoxydimethylsilane (DMDEOS), showed real promise in relation to macrofouling reduction.
ISSN:	1420-3049 1420-3049