Chitosan-based coatings for biofouling prevention

Abstract

Biofouling refers to the growth of micro- and macro-organisms on the surfaces of industrial applications. Biofouling increases fuel consumption, accelerates corrosion, clogs membranes and pipes, and reduces the buoyancy of marine installations. While traditionally marine installations are protected by toxic antifouling coatings, due to recent environmental concerns and legislation, novel low and non-toxic antifouling coatings are being developed. Chitosan is a linear polymer composed of D-glucosamine and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. Chitosan is produced from the chitin of crustaceans, such as shrimps. In my presentation, I will show examples of chitosan-based coatings for inhibition of micro- and macro-fouling. In particular, I will focus on the results of testing different ZnO- chitosan nanocomposite coatings.