Issue 25, 2024

Performance of environmentally friendly, liquid-infused coatings against biofouling: evaluation of macrofouling and microbially induced corrosion in freshwater environments

Abstract

Biofouling, caused by the attachment of micro- and macroorganisms, increases the fuel consumption of ships and compromises aquatic infrastructure, especially by microbially induced corrosion. Conventional anti-fouling strategies often rely on the release of toxic substances. Liquid-infused coatings offer an alternative strategy, which has shown promising anti-fouling performance in maritime settings. In this study, we focus on freshwater systems and investigate the performance of a set of recently developed liquid-infused coatings with low environmental impact based on sustainable or non-toxic materials and energy-efficient fabrication. We combine field studies at two freshwater bodies in Bavaria, Germany with laboratory experiments focusing on corrosion and microbial attachment under controlled conditions. Our results indicate that liquid-infused coatings with low environmental impact can show a reduction in general biofouling, mussel attachment, and corrosion rates, as well as the attachment of Thiobacillus thioparus and Pseudomonas fluorescens, organisms known to cause microbially induced corrosion.

Graphical abstract: Performance of environmentally friendly, liquid-infused coatings against biofouling: evaluation of macrofouling and microbially induced corrosion in freshwater environments

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
31 Jan 2024
Accepted
26 Mar 2024
First published
26 Mar 2024
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024,12, 15278-15289

Performance of environmentally friendly, liquid-infused coatings against biofouling: evaluation of macrofouling and microbially induced corrosion in freshwater environments

T. Walter, M. Langbein, P. Blenk, A. B. Tesler, L. H. Prado, D. Bornstein, S. Virtanen, K. Castiglione and N. Vogel, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024, 12, 15278 DOI: 10.1039/D4TA00741G

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