Fujifilm Debuts Silicone Fouling Release System

Fujifilm Smart Surfaces said its latest silicone fouling-release system solution will help save fuel and time during drydocking, helping tackle indigenous and invasive species that continue to propagate rapidly, infesting multiple waters and causing vast ecological and economic damage.

The primary goals of the fouling release system are to prevent fouling from permanently attaching to surfaces, which increases drag and causes higher fuel usage and costs, and to reduce drydocking and maintenance, as well as reduce the generation of greenhouse gases.

The U.S. Navy-patented nontoxic solution is a patented silicone-based coating that features Smart Surfaces DUPLEX foulant-release technology, causing organisms to be released from surfaces even at lower speeds and lighter water pressure – a solution that works with nature, not against it.

The DUPLEX Tie Coat formula incorporating nanotechnology is a synergy of three layers. An epoxy anticorrosion layer and a tough, protective silicone surface coat are effectively interlocked through a covalent bond. The synergy between these three creates superior adhesion and durability that boost the toughness and adhesion properties of the epoxy and silicone coating, creating a new system that is durable and long lasting.