In order for ships to have the lowest possible frictional resistance or »viscous drag«, and thus relatively low fuel consumption, the ship’s sides must be free of surface organism growth. Toward that end ships are protected with poisonous, so-called »anti-fouling« coatings. The copper compounds commonly used today as biocides, however, collect through »leaching« in bodies of water and in the sediments there, and damage the aquatic plant and animal life.
Fortunately there are alternatives: Since 2009 a biocide-free protective coating for pleasure boats, developed by the Bionik-Innovations-Centrum (B-I-C), of the University of Applied Sciences of Bremen and Vosschemie GmbH of Uetersen, has been available on the market. Currently the product is being further developed for applications on a large scale, such as use with container vessels. The cooperating partner in that undertaking is the largest German manufacturer of marine coatings, Wilckens Farben GmbH.
The mechanism of action for the new protective coating is based on physical characteristics inspired by marine organisms, such as the so-called »sharkskin effect«: sharks have special skin structures (denticles) which lower the water resistance, optimize the hydrodynamics and, through their flexible incorporation into the skin, prevent the settlement of organic growth. This »self-cleaning effect« is imitated by the new ship coating.
Initial tests of the modified non-stick coating, in the laboratory and outdoors, have been quite promising. Now in the future a coating system will be available for large commercial and container vessels as well, which
Project Operation:
Bionik-Innovations-Centrum Bremen (B-I-C)
Hochschule Bremen
Neustadtswall 30
28199 Bremen
E-Mail: b-i-c@hs-bremen.de
www.bionik-bremen.de
Cooperation Partner:
Wilckens Farben GmbH, Glückstadt
E-Mail: info@wilckens.com
www.wilckens.com
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