Antifouling properties of lignin for marine coatings
Study is based on preliminary findings that point toward lignin’s efficacy against seawater organisms.
Antifouling properties of unmodified kraft lignin for potential use in marine coatings were investigated in a new research project. The study was based on preliminary findings that pointed toward lignin’s efficacy against seawater organisms during laboratory tests. Coatings were formulated that contained lignin as a filler and had a pigment volume concentration above the critical pigment volume concentration. This ensured direct interaction between lignin and seawater organisms, as the lignin particles remained incompletely wetted by the binder.
Moreover, all formulations were water-borne to mitigate the release of volatile organic compounds. Despite the initial promise, the antifouling performance of the formulated lignin coatings during field experiments at the CoaST Maritime Test Center was limited, and the anticipated mechanism must be reconsidered. Additionally, it was found that high lignin concentrations, while facilitating organism interaction, compromised the coating’s mechanical properties.
Nevertheless, the water-borne coating formulation introduced here might provide a foundation for other researchers to further investigate lignin’s potential as a bio-based pigment or a filler in coatings.
Source of the study: Journal of Coatings Technology and Research, January 2024
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