Geoffrey Swain

The testing and evaluation of non‐toxic antifouling coatings

Field testing of non-toxic antifouling coatings has required the development of test protocols that can quantify their performance. This includes the evaluation of the biofouling communities, the measurement of biofouling adhesion using a calibrated water jet and the measurement of barnacle adhesion in shear. Data are presented for several test surfaces, and the results are discussed with respect to the coating characteristics.

Surface elastic modulus of barnacle adhesive and release characteristics from silicone surfaces

The properties of barnacle adhesive on silicone surfaces were studied by AFM indentation, imaging, and other tests and compared to the barnacle shear adhesion strength. A multilayered structure of barnacle adhesive plaque is proposed based on layered modulus regions measured by AFM indentation. The fracture of barnacles from PDMS surfaces was found to include both interfacial and cohesive failure of barnacle adhesive plaque, as determined by protein staining of the substratum after forced barnacle release from the substrate. Data for freshly released barnacles showed that there was a strong correlation between the mean Youngs modulus of the outermost (softest) adhesive layer (E< 0.3 MPa) and the shear strength of adhesion, but no correlation for other higher modulus regions. Linear, quadratic, and Griffiths failure criterion (based on rough estimate of crack length) regressions were used in the fit, and showed significance.

The influence of biofilms on skin friction drag

The contribution of biofilms to skin friction drag is not clearly defined, and as regulations continue to restrict the use of biocides in antifouling paints, they are likely to form a greater presence on ship hulls. This paper reviews the flow regime around a ships hull, the basics of boundary layer structure, and the effects of rigid surface roughness on drag. A review of experimental studies of biofilms in turbulent shear flows at laboratory and ship‐scale is made. The consensus of these studies shows that biofilms increase skin friction drag. Some measurements carried out in turbulent boundary layer flow using a two‐component, laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) are also presented. These results indicate an increase in skin friction for biofilms that is dependent on composition as well as thickness.

Bioinspiration?the solution for biofouling control?

Most surfaces in the marine environment, both biotic and abiotic, are subject to biofouling. This has significant consequences for the safe and efficient conduct of marine activities. There is a pressing need to develop environmentally and economically acceptable methods to control the problem. In nature most plants and animals have evolved techniques that prevent or limit the process of fouling. These include chemical, physical, mechanical and behavioral responses. This paper reviews the knowledge with respect to natural antifouling methods, discusses similarities between natural mechanisms and existing antifouling technology and identifies potential future bioinspired approaches for the prevention of hull fouling specifically as they apply to US Navy requirements.

The Effect of Biofilms on Turbulent Boundary Layers

Materials exposed in the marine environment, including those protected by antifouling paints, may rapidly become colonized by microfouling. This may affect frictional resistance and turbulent boundary layer structure, This study compares the mean and turbulent boundary layer velocity characteristics of surfac covered with a marine biofilm with those of a smooth surface. Measurements were made in a nominally zero pressure gradient, boundary layer flow with a two-component laser Doppler velocimeter at momentum thickness Reynolds numbers of 5600 to 19,000 in a recirculating water tunnel. Profiles of the mean and turbulence velocity components, including the Reynolds shear stress, were measured. An average increase in the skin friction coefficient of 33 to 187 percent was measured on the fouled specimens. The ski friction coefficient was found to be dependent on both biofilm thickness and morphology. The biofilms tested showed varyin g effect on the Reynolds stresses when those quantities were normalized with the friction velocity

Observations of Barnacle Detachment from Silicones using High-Speed Video

ABSTRACT The detachment of barnacles (under shear and tensile loads) from silicone was investigated with the aid of high-speed digital video recording. A handheld probe was used to apply loads to the shells of barnacles attached to three clear silicone-elastomer coatings of known thickness applied to glass plates. The tests were performed in the laboratory in air and underwater. Representative data are presented as a qualitative description of separation at the barnacle adhesive–silicone interface. Detailed examination of adhesive separation during detachment provided new insight into the nature of a marine biological adhesive on a low modulus, artificial surface. The visible response of the barnacle adhesive on silicone under external shear and tensile loading was suggestive of the viscous fingering seen in Saffman–Taylor instabilities. Complex branching separation occurred in rapid progression, usually within 100 ms. The results suggest that the barnacle adhesive exhibits rheological responses of a viscous material at the interface with silicone surfaces. Additional experiments with time-lapse photography demonstrated that the adhesive was stable underwater but became dehydrated or coalesced when exposed directly to air. A simple model of the adhesive system of a barnacle in contact with silicone based upon Balanus eburneus is proposed to assist in the development of a more complete understanding of barnacle adhesion.

Silicone Foul Release Coatings: Effect of the Interaction of Oil and Coating Functionalities on the Magnitude of Macrofouling Attachment Strengths

Silicone biofouling release coatings have been shown to be an effective method of combating fouling. Nearly all silicone foul release coatings are augmented with an oil additive to decrease macrofouling attachment strength. This paper addresses the effect of the type of oil that is incorporated into the silicone coating and the type of silicone coating itself (silica vs calcium carbonate filled) on macrofouling adhesion strengths to the coating. It was found that not only are the main effects of oil type and silicone coating type important in determining the magnitude of the attachment strength of the organism, but the interaction term (oil type crossed with coating type) is highly significant for all organisms studied, except oysters at the University of Hawaii test site (Oahu, Hawaii) which has a significance level of f =0.1. Each of the organisms exhibited a unique response to the various silicone fouling release coatings. Thus, in order to predict the effectives of foul release coatings, the composition variables of the coatings and the type of target organisms must be considered.

The Effects of Silicone Fluid Additives and Silicone Elastomer Matrices on Barnacle Adhesion Strength

Barnacle adhesion strength was used to screen seventy-seven polydimethylsiloxane elastomeric coatings for fouling-release properties. The test coatings were designed to investigate the effect on barnacle adhesion strength of silicone fluid additive type, additive location, additive molecular weight, additive loading level, mixtures of additives, coating matrix type and coating fillers. The type of silicone fluid additive was the primary controlling factor in barnacle fouling-release. The type of silicone matrix in which the fluid resided was found to alter the effect on fouling-release. Two PDMS fluids, DMSC15 and DBE224, significantly reduced the adhesion strength of barnacles compared to unmodified elastomers. Optimum fouling-release performance was dependent on the interaction of fluid type and elastomeric matrix.

Diatom community structure on commercially available ship hull coatings

Diatoms are primary colonizers of both antifouling and fouling-release ship hull coatings. There are few published studies which report on diatom community development on modern ship hull coatings. This study reports diatom communities on eight commercial marine ship hull coatings exposed at three static immersion sites along the east coast of Florida, viz. Daytona, Sebastian, and Miami. The coatings tested were three ablative copper systems (Ameron ABC-3, International BRA-640, and Hempel Olympic 76600), two copper-free biocidal systems (E-Paint SN-1, Sherwin Williams HMF), and three fouling-release (FR) systems (International Intersleek 700, International Intersleek 900, and Hempel Hempasil). One hundred and twenty-seven species comprising 44 genera were identified, including some of the more commonly known foulers, viz. Achnanthes, Amphora, Cocconeis, Entomoneis, Licmophora, Melosira, Navicula, Nitzschia, Synedra, and Toxarium. A significant difference was seen among sites, with the more estuarine site, Sebastian, having lower overall diatom abundance and higher diversity than Daytona and Miami. Copper coatings were primarily fouled by Amphora delicatissima and Entomoneis pseudoduplex. Copper-free coatings were fouled by Cyclophora tenuis, A. delicatissima, Achnanthes manifera, and Amphora bigibba. FR surfaces were typified by C. tenuis, and several species of Amphora. The presence of C. tenuis is new to the biofouling literature, but as new coatings are developed, this diatom may be one of many that prove to be problematic for static immersion. Results show coatings can be significantly influenced by geographical area, highlighting the need to test ship hull coatings in locations similar to where they will be utilized.

Structure-Property Relationships of Silicone Biofouling-Release Coatings: Effect of Silicone Network Architecture on Pseudobarnacle Attachment Strengths

Model silicone foul-release coatings with controlled molecular architecture were evaluated to determine the effect of compositional variables such as filler loading and crosslink density on pseudobarnacle attachment strength. Pseudobarnacle adhesion values correlated with filler loadings in both condensation and hydrosilylation-cured silicones. Variation of crosslink density of hydrosilylation-cured silicones had an insignificant effect on attachment strength. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicated that the mode of failure upon detachment of the pseudobarnacle was dependent upon the crosslink density; samples with high crosslink density failed cohesively within the silicone.