Rapid prototyped biomimetic antifouling surfaces for marine applications

Fouling-release coatings typically rely on a mechanical shear force (usually generated by movement in the marine environment) to remove bio-matter. This is problematic in situations where the surface of interest will remain in a static state (e.g. marine sensors). Here we investigate the antifouling properties of textured surfaces of regular patterns in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in a static marine environment. Nine PMMA samples were prepared and the effect of hole-size and spacing on marine diatom adhesion was studied. Self-replenishing silicone oil was tested in each textured surface, and impact of oil transfer on diatom settlement was also investigated

Monitoring the marine environment using a low-cost colorimetric optical sensor

Anthropogenic activities have led to increased stress on our marine and other aquatic environments. There is a pressing need to monitor, measure, understand and mitigate the causes of these pressures. This paper presents the development and preliminary testing of a low-cost colorimetric optical sensor to detect colour-linked events in the marine environment. Potential applications may include the detection of Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB), which due to the production of toxins have deleterious effects on marine ecosystems and can ultimately lead to human, fish, bird and mammal deaths. Preliminary results indicate the capability of the sensor to differentiate between the colour signatures of several environmental samples

Rapid Prototyped Biomimetic Antifouling Surfaces for Marine Applications

Fouling-release coatings typically rely on a mechanical shear force (usually generated by movement in the marine environment) to remove bio-matter. This is problematic in situations where the surface of interest will remain in a static state (e.g. marine sensors). Here we investigate the antifouling properties of textured surfaces of regular patterns in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in a static marine environment. Nine PMMA samples were prepared and the effect of hole-size and spacing on marine diatom adhesion was studied. Self-replenishing silicone oil was tested in each textured surface, and impact of oil transfer on diatom settlement was also investigated

Kinugasa reactions in water: From green chemistry to bioorthogonal labelling

The Kinugasa reaction has become an efficient method for the direct synthesis of \u3b2-lactams from substituted nitrones and copper(I) acetylides. In recent years, the reaction scope has been expanded to include the use of water as the solvent, and with micelle-promoted [3+2] cycloadditions followed by rearrangement furnishing high yields of \u3b2-lactams. The high yields of stable products under aqueous conditions render the modified Kinugasa reaction amenable to metabolic labelling and bioorthogonal applications. Herein, the development of methods for use of the Kinugasa reaction in aqueous media is reviewed, with emphasis on its potential use as a bioorthogonal coupling strategy.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye

Biofouling and Corrosion Protection of Aluminum Alloys Through Ultrafast Laser Surface Texturing for Marine Applications

Abstract Surface biofouling, corrosion, and wettability are important parameters to understand and characterize aluminum alloys to prevent the failure in marine environments. Antifouling technologies predominantly encompass chemical and biocidal approaches with negative environmental consequences. Therefore, this study focuses on a new method of producing non‐toxic and effective antifouling and corrosion‐resistant surfaces. In this study, ultrafast laser texturing is used to modify the surface of an aluminum alloy using a femtosecond laser system. Five different unique texture patterns are designed and fabricated using 3 W laser power, 100 kHz pulse repetition rate, and 4 mm s−1 scanning speed in order to make the aluminum surface antifouling and corrosion resistant. The non‐textured sample has a contact angle of 85° while the textured samples have contact angles of up to 157°. The contact angle increased with time up to 90 days of aging. Biofouling assessment is conducted using marine algae Nitzschia ovalis as a marine fouling test organism. A reduction of biofilm coverage of 79% is recorded from the laser‐produced star pattern texture. This study demonstrates that laser‐textured surfaces have the potential to mitigate the formation of biofilms on the surfaces while also providing a mechanism to control the relative level of corrosion

The Use of Distances as Object Space Control in Close-Range Photogrammetry

NRC publication: Ye

Monitoring the Marine Environment using a low-cost Colorimetric Optical Sensor

Anthropogenic activities have led to increased stress on our marine and other aquatic environments. There is a pressing need to monitor, measure, understand and mitigate the causes of these pressures. This paper presents the development and preliminary testing of a low-cost colorimetric optical sensor to detect colour-linked events in the marine environment. Potential applications may include the detection of Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB), which due to the production of toxins have deleterious effects on marine ecosystems and can ultimately lead to human, fish, bird and mammal deaths. Preliminary results indicate the capability of the sensor to differentiate between the colour signatures of several environmental sample