I-Corps: Development of a Fouling Release Coating Formulation

该I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一种用于船体和龙骨的新型防污涂料，以减少当前涂料对环境的影响。尽管据报道，铜是一种有效的防腐剂，但它对海洋生物有毒，因此正在寻找替代品。 该创新产品不含铜，耐污染，非生物杀灭剂，预期寿命是目前商业防腐涂料的五倍，将有助于改善水质和恢复河流，海洋和海洋。它将防止船体和龙骨上形成黏泥层，以减少阻力，从而减少燃料消耗，同时保护海洋生物并减少有毒排放。这种涂料可以提供估计350万美元/年的成本节约。这个I-Corps项目是基于一种新型防污（FR）纳米复合材料涂层的开发，以解决船体和龙骨的生物污损问题。目前的挑战包括铜浸出、粘液形成、低粘附性、更强的法规、船舶船体和龙骨的维护成本、与停机时间相关的成本以及生物累积导致的高燃料消耗。该项目将：a）促进对正常和功能化纳米图案化表面的接触角、表面张力等因素所需性能的理解; B）概述未来的研究，如表面能、润湿性、膜厚度和流变性之间的相互作用;以及c）确定未来的表征需求。潜在成果包括将铜浸出减少到9 µg/cm 2以下，将铜负载减少到0.005%以下。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a novel anti-fouling coating for ship hulls and keels to reduce the environmental impact of current coatings. Although copper has been reported to be effective as an antifouling agent, it is toxic and poisonous to marine organisms and alternatives are sought. The proposed innovation is copper-free, fouling-resistant, and non-biocidal with a life expectancy of five times that of current commercial antifouling coating and will contribute environmentally to the water quality and restoration of rivers, seas, and ocean. It will offer resistance to slime layer formation on ship hulls and keels to reduce drag, subsequently reducing fuel consumption while protecting marine organisms and reducing toxic emissions. This coating could offer an estimated $3.5M/year per ship in cost savings.This I-Corps project is based on the development of a novel fouling-resistance (FR) nanocomposite coating to solve problems of biofouling in the hulls and keels of ships. Current challenges include copper leaching, slime formation, low adhesion, stronger regulations, maintenance costs for the ship hull and keel, costs associated with down time, and high fuel consumption resulting from bioaccumulation. This project will: a)advance the understanding of the required performance for factors such as the contact angle, surface tension of normally and functionalized nanopatterned surfaces; b) outline future studies such as interactions between surface energy, wettability, film thickness, and rheology; and c) determine future characterization needs. Potential outcomes include the reduction of copper leaching below 9 µg/cm2 and reduction of copper loading to less than 0.005%.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.