Biofouling is the undesired settlement of submerged surfaces by marine micro- and macro-organisms such as algae, bacteria, barnacles, diatoms and seaweeds. This phenomenon has annoying effects among which on aquaculture systems and oceanographic sensors, it also causes severe problems on shipping and leisure vessels for marine industries due to corrosion and hydrodynamic drag, which leads to elevated fuel consumption and higher maintenance costs [1]. In order to reduce both economic and environmental penalties, the principal strategy for opposing marine fouling is to use biocide-containing paints, but the environmental concerns and legislation are driving science and technology towards non-biocidal solutions based solely on physico-chemical and materials properties of coatings. From this point of view, advances in nanotechnology and recent knowledge of marine biology and chemistry are improving significant impact on the development of a new generation of surface designs 'bioinspired' by the nature [2]. One approach to the research and the development of novel coatings is to create a 'deterrent' surface that inhibits the original attachment of the settling stages of microorganisms. Recently, a broad research has been realized on newer anti-fouling technologies using fluoropolymers [3]. In this regards, sol-gel technique can be an interesting tool in the treatment of materials to convey new properties to surfaces. The hybrid organic-inorganic materials used, exhibit the properties of both phases, contributing for example to the setup of anti-fouling and fouling release coatings. In this research, the examined procedure consists of the co-condensation of silane coupling agents with epoxide and amine tail-groups, (3-Glycidyloxypropyl)-trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) and (3-Aminopropyl)-triethoxysilane (APTES), respectively, mixed with two perfluorosilane precursors, namely glycidyl-2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9-hexadecafluorononylether and trimethoxy-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)-silane, either individually or together. This synthetic method allows to obtain stable hydrophobic, non-toxic, anti-fouling and fouling release coatings that were tested to study their morphology and chemical structure by different physical-chemical techniques. The fouling release properties were evaluated through test on treated glass slides in different microbial suspension in seawater-based medium per 24 h at room temperature. During tests, each suspension was held in constant agitation to imitate the regular motion of seawater, and the settlement of cells on bare degreased glass slides is compared with that resulting on the treated slides. The synthetized fluorinated coatings demonstrate good antimicrobial activities and low adhesive properties, no biocidal effects were observed in the studied microorganisms.
Promising fluorine-containing sol-gel coatings to prevent microbial biofilm settlement and adhesion
Ielo I;Plutino MR
2019
Abstract
Biofouling is the undesired settlement of submerged surfaces by marine micro- and macro-organisms such as algae, bacteria, barnacles, diatoms and seaweeds. This phenomenon has annoying effects among which on aquaculture systems and oceanographic sensors, it also causes severe problems on shipping and leisure vessels for marine industries due to corrosion and hydrodynamic drag, which leads to elevated fuel consumption and higher maintenance costs [1]. In order to reduce both economic and environmental penalties, the principal strategy for opposing marine fouling is to use biocide-containing paints, but the environmental concerns and legislation are driving science and technology towards non-biocidal solutions based solely on physico-chemical and materials properties of coatings. From this point of view, advances in nanotechnology and recent knowledge of marine biology and chemistry are improving significant impact on the development of a new generation of surface designs 'bioinspired' by the nature [2]. One approach to the research and the development of novel coatings is to create a 'deterrent' surface that inhibits the original attachment of the settling stages of microorganisms. Recently, a broad research has been realized on newer anti-fouling technologies using fluoropolymers [3]. In this regards, sol-gel technique can be an interesting tool in the treatment of materials to convey new properties to surfaces. The hybrid organic-inorganic materials used, exhibit the properties of both phases, contributing for example to the setup of anti-fouling and fouling release coatings. In this research, the examined procedure consists of the co-condensation of silane coupling agents with epoxide and amine tail-groups, (3-Glycidyloxypropyl)-trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) and (3-Aminopropyl)-triethoxysilane (APTES), respectively, mixed with two perfluorosilane precursors, namely glycidyl-2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9-hexadecafluorononylether and trimethoxy-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)-silane, either individually or together. This synthetic method allows to obtain stable hydrophobic, non-toxic, anti-fouling and fouling release coatings that were tested to study their morphology and chemical structure by different physical-chemical techniques. The fouling release properties were evaluated through test on treated glass slides in different microbial suspension in seawater-based medium per 24 h at room temperature. During tests, each suspension was held in constant agitation to imitate the regular motion of seawater, and the settlement of cells on bare degreased glass slides is compared with that resulting on the treated slides. The synthetized fluorinated coatings demonstrate good antimicrobial activities and low adhesive properties, no biocidal effects were observed in the studied microorganisms.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
