Salvinia-inspired biomimetic antifouling film
Many organisms in nature can adsorb bubbles underwater and form bubble layer, such as Salvinia, which has heterogeneous superhydrophobic surface with hydrophilic pins, allowing it to trap air underwater and form a stable air layer.
Inspired by the structure and function of Salvinia molesta, a biomimetic antifouling film with double-scale microstructure antennae was designed and fabricated using silicone rubber-graphene composite materials (micro-SR-GN). The micro-SR-GN can absorb air bubbles underwater to wrap the whole antenna, forming a “bubble shield” that can act as an environmentally-friendly physical antifouling barrier. Due to its hydrophobicity and double-scale microstructure, micro-SR-GN has strong bubble adsorption function and can maintain bubbles stability at a certain fluid velocity (1.5 m/s).
Excellent antifouling performance
In static and dynamic antifouling experiments, micro-SR-GN exhibited excellent antifouling performance, which could resist the adhesion of both Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria and marine algae. These findings suggest that a promising platform could be achieved based on the physical antifouling strategy of “bubble shield” and show broad prospects in maritime industry.
The article has been published in Progress in Organic Coatings, Volume 186, January 2024.
Reading tip
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