New study: It may become possible to clean boats without toxins

Hull fouling – the accumulation of marine organisms – is a problem that most boat owners are familiar with. 

For the maritime industry, marine biofouling represents a significant challenge.

Biofouling consists of various living organisms that attach themselves to the part of the boat that is below water. These can be microorganisms, algae, and shellfish. 

Fouling increases water resistance, fuel consumption, and maintenance costs. It's common for many owners to haul their boat out of the water once a year to clean the hull.

“The traditional way to remove fouling is to use toxic biocides. But this has a negative impact on the environment, and we should therefore limit their use,” says Michael Kelly.

He is a researcher at NTNU’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

More eco-friendly than toxins

Kelly’s recent doctoral thesis explores a more environmentally friendly alternative. 

This alternative goes by the rather complicated name of graphene-based polymer nanocomposite coatings. 

Graphene is a material that consists of a single layer of carbon atoms.

“The graphene coating is both durable and less toxic than biocides, while also acting as an anti-fouling agent,” says Kelly.

He studied the effect of mixing graphene, graphene oxide, and metal oxide nanoparticles with epoxy and silicone. 

The goal is to see how these materials can prevent fouling and the formation of biofilm both in the lab and in the sea.

Graphene damages cells upon contact

“The findings show that graphene nanomaterials prevent fouling not primarily by being chemically toxic, but by physically damaging cells upon contact with the material,” explains Kelly.

He also investigated different epoxy blends and graphene oxide fillers to improve the coatings’ strength and durability.

“The results are promising in terms of developing effective coatings that protect both vessels and infrastructure with minimal environmental impact,” he says.

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Read the Norwegian version of this article on forskning.no

About the research

Michael Kelly is completing his doctorate as part of the Functional Materials and Materials Chemistry (FACET) research group at NTNU.

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