Bioinspired antifouling using natural products against marine biofilms

The underwater hull of a ship is subject not only to the corrosive seawater environment, but to the constant accumulation of biofouling. Marine growth is a major problem to encounter when dealing with the underwater hull and platforms. Effective antifouling coatings determine performance factors including, speed, hydrodynamic efficiency, fuel consumption and weight of a vessel. Specifically, a 15% increase in fuel cost results from the formation of diatom-dominated biofilm on ocean going vessels. Although the incorporation of tributyl tin (TBT) into coating systems has been widely used for its anti-fouling capacity, in 2008 the use of TBT was banned due to its toxic affects in the wider marine environment. Therefore, the need for new, effective and environmentally friendly coating systems has been the focus and challenge for the scientific community. The ideal antifouling (AF) coating would prevent marine growth as well as maintain a long performance life while keeping within increasingly strict environmental regulations.