Coating against microbial fouling of concrete surfaces
In a new paper, a GO/IBTS composite emulsion against microbial fouling of concrete surfaces in marine tidal areas was prepared by sol–gel method with graphene oxide (GO) and isobutyltriethoxysilane (IBTS) as raw materials.
The GO/IBTS composite coating was constructed on the surface of concrete blocks, which were then placed in a marine tidal area for biological fouling experiments. The results show that the GO/IBTS composite emulsion can ensure long-term hydrophobicity of the concrete surface, preventing the adhesion of marine microorganisms and effectively inhibiting the formation of microbial biofilms.
Reduction of microbial contamination
High-throughput DNA sequencing results show that the GO/IBTS composite coating can reduce the species richness and community diversity of microorganisms on the concrete surface, especially the abundance of Desulfobacterota and Firmicutes species, which can corrode concrete. Microscopy results show that the GO/IBTS composite coating also reduces the degree of carbonisation of concrete, improves the microstructure of the concrete surface, and reduces the degree of microbial contamination on concrete.
The review has been published in Journal of Coatings Technology and Research, Volume 19, May 2022.
