Novel materials shake ship scum

[rtshinn]

Interesting!
http://phys.org/news/2013-01-materials-ship-scum.html

 

[caguy]

Interesting. I've thought recently that the new stuff that they use to coat the inside of catsup bottles should work on a boat. It is so slippery that nothing can stick to it. Much like ablative paint, just using the boat would cause what ever does manage to cling to just slough off. The slipperiness would also cause less drag from water and help increase speed.
I have also wondered about the use of ultrasound to remove algae, it doesn't seem that difficult to hook up a couple of transducers to the inside of a hull. Hopefully the fiberglass wouldn't delaminate.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_...es-slippery-coating-developed-by-mit-student/

 

[kenn]

I have also wondered about the use of ultrasound to remove algae, it doesn't seem that difficult to hook up a couple of transducers to the inside of a hull.

Yes, ultrasonic has been tried, with some success. Google for other info, too.

 

[wufibugs]

As I read the Duke article, I got the idea that it wasn't so much the "slipperiness" of the coating but that somehow the coating remained active and "moving" actually "pushing" the bacteria away from the surface. Or is that a characteristic of "slipperiness"?

 

[kenn]

As I read the Duke article, I got the idea that it wasn't so much the "slipperiness" of the coating but that somehow the coating remained active and "moving" actually "pushing" the bacteria away from the surface. Or is that a characteristic of "slipperiness"?

I think there are two different ideas being proposed:

- the Duke announcement is about a material that can move on a molecular level to "dislodge" anything that's adhering

- other research has been looking at a particular system of 'wrinkle' patterns that mimic sharkskin and other natural surfaces that discourage slime.

This is all pretty cool. It would be nice to keep our boat hulls clean without requiring the annual application of expensive toxins.

 

[kloudie1]

I wrote to the slippery surface guys at LiquiGlide to ask about possible application to a boat hull to prevent fouling.. I got this reply:
Hi Claude,

While we have not directly explored this, it is an application we have considered and we believe it may be an effective method. However, we are currently a technology platform and not a specific product that is available for sale. Please do stay tuned for any updates, and thank you for your note!


They are still very new with this and I think they are kinda overwhelmed right now trying to figure out where to go.. Interesting stuff for sure!

 

[caguy]

I wrote to the slippery surface guys at LiquiGlide to ask about possible application to a boat hull to prevent fouling.. I got this reply:
Hi Claude,

While we have not directly explored this, it is an application we have considered and we believe it may be an effective method. However, we are currently a technology platform and not a specific product that is available for sale. Please do stay tuned for any updates, and thank you for your note!


They are still very new with this and I think they are kinda overwhelmed right now trying to figure out where to go.. Interesting stuff for sure!

I just wonder if ther were clever enough to patent it before going public.