Xuanhe Zhao News

The advance of modern marine coatings and related technologies is not unlike other technical sectors of the maritime industry, primarily driven by emerging regulation from the international, national and regional level, usually in regard to environmental concern. But in recent years, an increased focus on the reduction of marine emissions in tandem with the capability to more directly correlate clean, well-maintained hulls with reduced fuel consumption and lower emissions has driven the industry further faster…

Duke University engineers have developed a hull coating that dislodges bacteria when an electrical current is applied. The material works by physically moving at the microscopic level, knocking the bacteria away. This avoids the use of bacteria-killing paints, which can contain heavy metals or other toxic chemicals that might accumulate in the environment and unintentionally harm fish or other marine organisms. "We have developed a material that 'wrinkles,' or changes it surface in response to a stimulus, such as stretching or pressure or electricity," said Duke engineer Xuanhe Zhao, assistant professor in Duke's Pratt School of Engineering. The researchers tested their approach in the laboratory with simulated seawater, as well as on barnacles.