Session 5: EU-Project AMBIO
Chair: Prof. James Callow, University of Birmingham, UKAMBIO stands for „Advanced Nanostructured Surfaces for the Control of Biofouling“. The aim of this EU-project is to study and develop different nanostructured surfaces in order to avoid the adhesion of marine fouling organisms. This session will start with an overview of the project. Speakers will then address nanostructured-surface coatings of amphiphilic fluorinated block copolymers for fouling release application and field testing of non-biocidal antifouling nanotechnologies among other subjects.
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Monday Afternoon 14.00 – 18.00 h
Room Kiew
5.1 14.00 – 14.30 h An overview of the AMBIO project Prof. J.A. Callow, University of Birmingham, UK Fouling of a surface is essentially the outcome of the molecular interfacial processes involving the polymeric adhesives produced by the aquatic organisms, and the substrates to which they attach. This adhesion is influenced by the physico-chemical properties of a surface such as surface energy, charge, conductivity, porosity, roughness, wettability, friction, physical and chemical reactivity, all of which are influenced by the surface nanostructure. The advent of nanotechnology has created new opportunities for scientists to manipulate and understand the nanoscale properties of coatings. The AMBIO project (‘Advanced Nanostructured Surfaces for the Control of Biofouling’) was therefore set up to explore the potential of these new technologies for creating conceptually novel coatings for the control of aquatic fouling, without the use of biocides. AMBIO is a 5-year project incorporating 31 Partners drawn from a wide range of disciplines, and receives a budget of €11.9M from the EC’s 6th Framework programme. The project started in March 2005 and has completed the ‘experimental’ phase during which the main aim has been to develop a range of conceptually diverse, well-characterised nanostructured coatings and to evaluate these for their intrinsic anti-fouling and fouling-release properties through a range of bioassays. Those showing most promise have been selected for scale-up and formulation as coatings to be tested in field assays representative of a range of end-user applications where fouling is a problem. The purpose of this presentation is to outline the research strategy of the project, to explain the main strands of research effort and to explore the emerging results.  | ||
| 5.2 14.30 – 15.00 h Nanostructured-surface coatings of amphiphilic fluorinated block copolymers for fouling release applications Elisa Martinelli, University of Pisa, IT Block copolymers with fluorinated polymer blocks can self-assemble into highly organized, multi-dimensional nanostructures in thin film coatings. With an increasing drive toward environmentally benign non-toxic marine coatings, we aim at engineering block copolymer coatings in which the chemical composition, order, and topology of the nanostructured, fluorinated polymer surface can effect antifouling/fouling release properties against marine organisms. We discuss examples of these coatings that were produced by different chemical approaches, with special attention to formulations of low-surface energy, fluorinated block copolymer elastomers. When additionally the coating surface presented an amphiphilic character, distinct biological performances resulted against organisms with contrasting tendencies to interact with the surface. | ||
| 5.3 15.00 – 15.30 h Carbon nanotubes: multi-functional and high performance products review and trends for their applications Michel Mahy, Nanocyl SA, BE Since their first observation in 1991 by Iijima, carbon nanotubes have been attracting both academics and industries, owing to their exceptional properties. This allotropic variety of carbon has been tested as advanced multifunctional filler in polymer-based nanocomposites. Indeed, they have shown amazing intrinsic properties such as mechanical (1TPa), electrical (102-105 S/m), and thermal (3000 W/mK). Nowadays, carbon nanotubes are well implemented on the market and numerous applications of carbon nanotube composites (e.g. in automotive, electronic packaging) has been developed. In recent years, the interest in potential application of carbon nanotubes in coating market has dramatically increased. In particular, some works have demonstrated that some industrial grades of carbon nanotubes were exhibiting an outstanding affinity towards silicone resins which has lead to evidence some very particular and interesting behaviors at pretty low loading of filler. Based on those researches, Nanocyl SA has developed and masterized techniques to transfer their know-how of CNT (and of CNT compounding) to the manufacturing of high performance silicone based products at competitive price. The multi-functionality of carbon nanotubes was thus used to elaborate very efficient and diversified products with a CNT loading below 1wt% ; we will describe in this talk, among other, a thermally protective coating (or fire resistant) which is able to protect metal plate from a 1000°C flame during couple of hours, an environmentally friendly fouling release paint and electrically conductive silicones for various applications, all those materials exhibiting good mechanical properties and even more important very good applicability such as painting, spraying and so on. On the other hand we will describe in this talk latest development in transparent conductive coating and more generally the latest development in CNT based coatings 15.30 – 16.00 h Networking: Refreshments & Coffee Break | ||
| 5.4 16.00 – 16.30 h Novel nanostructured fouling release coatings based on nanocomposite sol-gel coating systems Corné Rentrop, TNO Science and Industry, NL TNO Science & Industry, within the EC funded AMBIO project, has been developing novel antifouling and fouling release coatings based on nanotechnology. The state of the art antifouling coatings consist of a variety of ingredients amongst which (inorganic) filler particles are important components. Dispersion of these particles is of utmost importance for the performance (appearance and functionality) of the final product and its application. Nanocomposite coating systems have been produced by multiple surface modification of anisotropic nanoparticles in order to create desired grades of dispersion.This surface modification allows the nanoparticles to fully disperse or segregate in coating systems thus altering the bulk and surface properties of the coating. Expertise in particle modification and chemistry of the coating formulation allows us to tailor the properties of the coatings and thus its performance and applicability. The (modified) nanoparticles are dispersed in sol-gel coating systems to create well defined topography at the nano, “intermediate” and micrometer scale. In this paper the modification of different particles will be presented as well as the effect of the particle modification on antifouling and fouling release performance. The effect of the (nano)structuring was evaluated by determining the antifouling and fouling release properties of the coatings with respect to controlled bio-assays, utilising algae, marine bacteria and barnacles. The coatings were found to inhibit settlement of the marine bacteria and showed especially promising fouling-release results for algal sporelings. | ||
| 5.5 16.30 – 17.00 h Industrial biofouling – importance of material characterisation Wolfgang Schrepp, BASF SE, DE The attachment and growth of microorganisms on wet surfaces impose significant operational and economic costs. Biocide containing paints have been the primary method of control of fouling for centuries. With recent inter-disciplinary approaches in biology, chemistry and advanced analytics, significant progress has been made both in understanding the nanoscale interactions and in the development of environmentally friendly technologies for antifouling coatings. In addition to development of various approaches to prevent micro- and macro-fouling at its Global Research Center, Singapore, BASF SE is actively involved in providing analytical solutions with state of the art methods within the Polymer Research Platform in Ludwigshafen. Details of microscopic investigations (AFM, SEM), nanoindentation, determination of surface energies as well as stability under seawater conditions will be presented. | ||
| 5.6 17.00 – 17.30 h Bioactive polymer nano-coatings to prevent marine biofouling Carsten Werner, Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, DE Many marine fouling species use proteins and glycoprotein polymers to attach to surfaces. We explore strategies for the use of immobilized proteolytic enzymes to prevent marine biofouling by hydrolyzing adhesive proteins of marine species. The proteolytic enzyme Subtilisin A was randomly immobilized by covalent attachment to different maleic anhydride copolymer coatings using enzyme solutions of varied concentrations. The characterization of the enzyme-containing coatings included the determination of the layer thickness by ellipsometry and the quantification of the amount of immobilized enzyme by amino acid analysis. The evaluation of immobilized enzyme activity was performed by detection of the product resultant from the cleavage of a polypeptide by spectroscopy. The results obtained demonstrate the feasibility of the approach. Stable coatings containing defined amounts of enzyme could be detected on the compared copolymers exhibiting enzymatic activities depending on the immobilized amount and on the type of substrate. The coatings were tested for their effect on the settlement and adhesion of two major fouling species: the green alga Ulva linza and the diatom Navicula perminuta. The enzyme-containing coatings showed very promising antifouling properties by reducing the settlement and the adhesion strength of Ulva linza spores and the adhesion strength of Navicula cells. Interestingly, the antifouling efficiency of the enzyme-containing coatings depends on the properties of the polymer precoating used for enzyme immobilization. | ||
| 5.7 17.30 – 18.00 h Formulation and field testing of non-biocidal antifouling nanotechnologies David Williams, International Paints Akzo Nobel, US The role of International Paint within the EC AMBIO Project is to carry out formulation and field trials on antifouling nanotechnologies designed by other partners. There are many challenges associated developing a practical and proven antifouling coating system from a laboratory scale technology. There is a need to formulate coatings that allow practical application and adhesion to a range of substrates whilst maintaining the intrinsic surface and bulk properties that provide the antifouling performance. In addition, there is a requirement to demonstrate that candidate technologies have suitable in-field antifouling performance for a particular end-use under a range of environmental conditions. The aim of this presentation is to give an overview of the formulation process and test methods for field evaluations of antifouling technologies for a variety end-uses including ship hulls, pleasure craft, aquaculture equipment and water-inlets. Preliminary results from field trials will be used to demonstrate the potential of nano-structured surfaces as a means for the prevention of biofouling. | ||
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