K.R. Stokes

Marine biofilms on artificial surfaces: structure and dynamics

The search for new antifouling (AF) coatings that are environmentally benign has led to renewed interest in the ways that micro-organisms colonize substrates in the marine environment. This review covers recently published research on the global species composition and dynamics of marine biofilms, consisting mainly of bacteria and diatoms found on man-made surfaces including AF coatings. Marine biofilms directly interact with larger organisms (macrofoulers) during colonization processes; hence, recent literature on understanding the basis of the biofilm/macrofouling interactions is essential and will also be reviewed here. Overall, differences have been identified in species composition between biofilm and planktonic forms for both diatoms and bacteria at various exposure sites. In most studies, the underlying biofilm was found to induce larval and spore settlement of macrofoulers; however, issues such as reproducibility, differences in exposure sites and biofilm composition (natural multispecies vs. monospecific species) may influence the outcomes.

Designing biomimetic antifouling surfaces.

Marine biofouling is the accumulation of biological material on underwater surfaces, which has plagued both commercial and naval fleets. Biomimetic approaches may well provide new insights into designing and developing alternative, non-toxic, surface-active antifouling (AF) technologies. In the marine environment, all submerged surfaces are affected by the attachment of fouling organisms, such as bacteria, diatoms, algae and invertebrates, causing increased hydrodynamic drag, resulting in increased fuel consumption, and decreased speed and operational range. There are also additional expenses of dry-docking, together with increased fuel costs and corrosion, which are all important economic factors that demand the prevention of biofouling. Past solutions to AF have generally used toxic paints or coatings that have had a detrimental effect on marine life worldwide. The prohibited use of these antifoulants has led to the search for biologically inspired AF strategies. This review will explore the natural and biomimetic AF surface strategies for marine systems.

A review of experimental techniques to produce a nacre-like structure

The performance of man-made materials can be improved by exploring new structures inspired by the architecture of biological materials. Natural materials, such as nacre (mother-of-pearl), can have outstanding mechanical properties due to their complicated architecture and hierarchical structure at the nano-, micro- and meso-levels which have evolved over millions of years. This review describes the numerous experimental methods explored to date to produce composites with structures and mechanical properties similar to those of natural nacre. The materials produced have sizes ranging from nanometres to centimetres, processing times varying from a few minutes to several months and a different range of mechanical properties that render them suitable for various applications. For the first time, these techniques have been divided into those producing bulk materials, coatings and free-standing films. This is due to the fact that the materials application strongly depends on its dimensions and different results have been reported by applying the same technique to produce materials with different sizes. The limitations and capabilities of these methodologies have been also described.

Electrochemical corrosion behaviour of 90-10 Cu-Ni alloy in chloride-based electrolytes

The corrosion of 90–10 copper—nickel alloy in aqueous chloride electrolytes has received considerable attention in the literature due to its widespread use in seawater and saline environments. From an analysis of the electrochemical behaviour of the alloy, it is clear that both the polarization and mixed/corrosion potential characteristics show a close comparison to unalloyed copper. Important differences arise, however, due to the semi—conducting nature, composition and overall protectiveness of the corrosion products on the 90–10 copper—nickel alloy. In this work the metallurgy, electrochemistry and mechanism of passivation of the alloy are reviewed to provide a focused source of data regarding the electrochemical characteristics of the alloy in saline media.

Review on the development of truly portable and in-situ capillary electrophoresis systems

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is a technique which uses an electric field to separate a mixed sample into its constituents. Portable CE systems enable this powerful analysis technique to be used in the field. Many of the challenges for portable systems are similar to those of autonomous in-situ analysis and therefore portable systems may be considered a stepping stone towards autonomous in-situ analysis. CE is widely used for biological and chemical analysis and example applications include: water quality analysis; drug development and quality control; proteomics and DNA analysis; counter-terrorism (explosive material identification) and corrosion monitoring. The technique is often limited to laboratory use, since it requires large electric fields, sensitive detection systems and fluidic control systems. All of these place restrictions in terms of: size, weight, cost, choice of operating solutions, choice of fabrication materials, electrical power and lifetime. In this review we bring together and critique the work by researchers addressing these issues. We emphasize the importance of a holistic approach for portable and in-situ CE systems and discuss all the aspects of the design. We identify gaps in the literature which require attention for the realization of both truly portable and in-situ CE systems.

Optimisation of interface roughness and coating thickness to maximise coating–substrate adhesion – a failure prediction and reliability assessment modelling

A mathematical model for failure prediction and reliability assessment of coating–substrate system is developed based on a multidisciplinary approach. Two models for diffusion and bending of bi-layer cantilever beam have been designed separately based on the concepts of material science and solid mechanics respectively. Then, these two models are integrated to design an equation for debonding driving force under mesomechanics concepts. Mesomechanics seeks to apply the concepts of solid mechanics to microstructural constituent of materials such as coatings. This research takes the concepts of mesomechanics to the next level in order to predict the performance and assess the reliability of coatings based on the measure of debonding driving force. The effects of two parameters i.e. interface roughness and coating thickness on debonding driving force have been analysed using finite difference method. Critical/threshold value of debonding driving force is calculated which defines the point of failure of coating–substrate system and can be used for failure prediction and reliability assessment by defining three conditions of performance i.e. safe, critical and fail. Results reveal that debonding driving force decreases with an increase in interface roughness and coating thickness. However, this is subject to condition that the material properties of coating such as diffusivity should not increase and Young’s modulus should not decrease with an increase in the interface roughness and coating thickness. The model is based on the observations recorded from experimentation. These experiments are performed to understand the behaviour of debonding driving force with the variation in interface roughness and coating thickness.

Modelling of metal-coating delamination incorporating variable environmental parameters

A mathematical model for metal-coating delamination of degrading metal was developed incorporating multiple variable environmental and physical parameters. Metal-coating delamination not only depends on the electrochemical reactions at metal-coating interface but also on the factors like the type of propagating metal ions and their varying concentration with annual weather changes (summer and winter), time of exposure of the coated objects, type of coated objects, i.e. stationary or mobile vehicles and frequency with which certain vehicles are operating in various environments, e.g. controlled or uncontrolled in terms of environmental conditions. A cutting edge model has been developed to calculate the varying environmental conditions using iteration algorithm, time dependent uncertain position of objects like vehicle in various environments (controlled and uncontrolled) using stochastic approach, effect of seasonal changes (summer and winter) on ionic compounds concentration using algebraic method and instantaneous failure probability due to varying conditions. Based on the developed model, a detailed simulation study was conducted to investigate the metal-coating delamination process and the ways to regress the under coating metal corrosion.

A unified mathematical modelling and simulation for cathodic blistering mechanism incorporating diffusion and fracture mechanics concepts

A novel mathematical model has been developed to understand the mechanism of blister initiation and propagation. The model employs a two-part theoretical approach encompassing the debondment of a coating film from the substrate, coupled with the design components incorporating diffusion and fracture mechanics, where the latter is derived from equi-biaxial tensile loading. Integrating the two components, a comprehensive mathematical design for the propagation of blister boundaries based on specific toughness functions and mode adjustment parameters has been developed. This approach provided a reliable and efficient prediction method for blister growth rate and mechanisms. The model provided a foundation for holistic design based on diffusion and mechanic components to enable better understanding of the debondment of thin elastic films bonded to a metallic substrate.

Anti-biofilm performance of three natural products against initial bacterial attachment.

Marine bacteria contribute significantly towards the fouling consortium, both directly (modern foul release coatings fail to prevent “slime” attachment) and indirectly (biofilms often excrete chemical cues that attract macrofouling settlement). This study assessed the natural product anti-biofilm performance of an extract of the seaweed, Chondrus crispus, and two isolated compounds from terrestrial sources, (+)-usnic acid and juglone, against two marine biofilm forming bacteria, Cobetia marina and Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus. Bioassays were developed using quantitative imaging and fluorescent labelling to test the natural products over a range of concentrations against initial bacterial attachment. All natural products affected bacterial attachment; however, juglone demonstrated the best anti-biofilm performance against both bacterial species at a concentration range between 5–20 ppm. In addition, for the first time, a dose-dependent inhibition (hormetic) response was observed for natural products against marine biofilm forming bacteria.

A holistic mathematical modelling and simulation for cathodic delamination mechanism – a novel and an efficient approach

This paper addresses a holistic mathematical design using a novel approach for understanding the mechanism of cathodic delamination. The approach employed a set of interdependent parallel processes with each process representing: cation formation, oxygen reduction and cation transport mechanism, respectively. Novel mathematical equations have been developed for each of the processes based on the observations recorded from experimentation. These equations are then solved using efficient time-iterated algorithms. Each process consists of distinct algorithms which communicate with each other using duplex channels carrying signals. Each signal represents a distinct delamination parameter. As a result of interdependency of various processes and their parallel behaviour, it is much easier to analyse the quantitative agreement between various delamination parameters. The developed modelling approach provides an efficient and reliable prediction method for the delamination failure. The results obtained are in good agreement with the previously reported experimental interpretations and numerical results. This model provides a foundation for the future research within the area of coating failure analysis and prediction.