A new eco-friendly paint promises to sponge away barnacles that are caused by biofouling organisms.
What is biofouling?
Biofouling is known as the accumulation of barnacles and other marine organisms present on the ship’s hull and they are known to decrease the hydrodynamic efficiency if not removed properly.
If these organisms are not removed, the ship’s engine have to run harder to move through water which in turn decreases fuel efficiency and creates more CO2 emissions.
Organisms to be sponged:
However, a new eco-friendly paint has promises to remove these greeblies by just swiping them off with a sponge.
Many paints have already been in the market, but many of them secrete toxic substances which kill these greeblies and also enter the ocean, damaging the environment.
New development:
The new eco-friendly paint developed by a research team at Germany’s Kiel University, along with colleagues at spin-off company Phi-Stone, the new paint doesn’t work that way.
The paint is made from a polymer composite based on polythiourethane (PTU) and specially-formed ceramic particles, which has an exceptionally smooth surface. This smooth finish prevents the marine organism to hold on to the vessel and prevents them from collecting on the vessel’s hull.
Dr. Martina Baum tested the paint by applying a test patch to the vessel ‘African Forest’ which operates between Belgium and Gabon in central Africa. Even after two years, there was still a marked reduction in biofouling. The organisms that were present were quickly cleaned off using a plain sponge.
Phi-Stone is now working on a spraying technique for applying the paint over large areas.
Did you subscribe for our daily newsletter?
It’s Free! Click here to Subscribe!
Source: University of Kiel
