Environmentally-friendly, Anti-fouling Marine and Dairy Coatings

An Uncomplicated Strategy for a Complex Problem

There exists a critical environmental and economic need for non-toxic marine coatings which effectively control biofouling on vessels and other submerged structures. A feasible approach must be broadly effective but also must not be economically prohibitive or overly complex in its implementation. Dairy fouling during pasteurization is another biofouling problem associated with significant costs and environmental impact stemming from cleaning protocols.

What we are doing:

We are developing surface modifying additives (SMAs) that can be readily blended into silicones and polyurethanes, and upon contact with the aqueous environment, rapidly undergo surface restructuring to afford high antifouling efficacy. Towards this goal, we have developed non-toxic, “PEO-silane amphiphile” SMAs that can boost coating resistance to marine biofoulers and to dairy mixtures.

Publications on this research

Investigating the effect of an antifouling surface modification on the environmental impact of pasteurization process: An LCA study

Zouaghi, S.; Frémiot, J.; André, C.; Grunlan, M.A.; Gruescu, C.; Delaplace, G.; Duquesne, S.; Jimenez, M. “Investigating the effect of an antifouling surface modification on the environmental impact of pasteurization process: An LCA study,” ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., 2019, 7, 9133-9142.

Stability of silicones modified with PEO-silane amphiphiles: Impact of structure and concentration

Ngo, B.K.D.; Lim, K.K.; Stafslien, S.J.; Grunlan, M.A. “Stability of silicones modified with PEO-silane amphiphiles: Impact of structure and concentration,” Polym. Degrad. Stab., 2019, 163, 136-142.

Antifouling amphiphilic silicone coatings for dairy fouling mitigation on stainless steel

Zouaghi, S.; Barry, M.E.; Bellayer, S.; Lyskawa, J.; André, C.; Delaplace, G.; Grunlan, M.A.; Jimenez, M. “Antifouling amphiphilic silicone coatings for dairy fouling mitigation on stainless steel,” Biofouling, 2018, 34, 769-783.

Antifouling silicones based on surface-modifying additive amphiphiles

Rufin, M.A.; Ngo, B.K.D.; Barry, M.E.; Page, V.M.; Hawkins, M.L.; Stafslien, S.J.; Grunlan, M.A.. “Anti-fouling silicones based on surface-modifying additive (SMA) amphiphiles,” Green Mater., 2017, 5, 4-13.

Non-toxic, anti-fouling silicones with variable PEO-silane amphiphiles content

Faÿ, F.; Hawkins, M.L.; Réhel, K.; Grunlan, M.A.; Linossier, I. “Non-toxic, anti-fouling silicones with variable PEO-silane amphiphiles content,” Green Mater., 2016, 4, 53-62.

Bacteria and diatom resistance of silicone modified with PEO-silane amphiphiles

Hawkins, M.L.; Fav, F.; E. Cheverau; Linossier, I.; Grunlan, M.A.“Bacteria and diatom resistance of silicone modified with PEO-silane amphiphiles,” Biofouling, 2014, 30, 247-258.

Minimally adhesive polymer surfaces (MAPS) prepared from star oligosiloxanes and star oligofluorosiloxanes

Grunlan, M.A.; Lee, N.S.; Mansfeld, F.; Kus, E.; Finlay, J.A.; Callow, J.A.; Callow, M.E.; Weber, W.P.+ “Minimally adhesive polymer surfaces (MAPS) prepared from star oligosiloxanes and star oligofluorosiloxanes,” J. Poly. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2006, 44, 2551-2566.