The Office of Technology Transitions is funding research to optimise non-toxic coatings for control of biofouling and corrosion on marine energy devices and facilities.
The Office of Technology Transitions of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is funding the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
(PNNL) project to scale up, field test, and optimise the non-toxic, durable and convenient coatings for control of biofouling and corrosion on marine energy devices and facilities.
The project is based on a patented technology developed by the PNNL, the Superhydrophobic Lubricant Infused Composite (SLIC), which provides antifouling performance and durability
while decreasing hydrodynamic drag without involving toxic materials. So, it can help to prevent biofouling of water power civil works in both freshwater and marine environments.
The objectives of the research include a final laboratory-based performance test that will measure SLIC’s saltwater-based durability, friction and compatibility with other paint and primer types. Researchers will collaborate with experts from the coatings industry (such as from BioBlend Renewable Resources, Dry Surface Technologies, Prometheus Innovations and Lorama Group, as well as PNNL’s Marine and Coastal Research Laboratory and Taylor Shellfish Farms), in order to co-develop blends of SLIC with solvents, curing agents, binders and pigments to assess tensile strength, shelf life, cure time, and any impact on other performance metrics.
The federal funding of $529,000 has been issued through the Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF), a programme aiming at helping national lab-based research and development projects on energy.
“President Biden is serious about making sure America corners the clean energy market – and that means we need to work with our nation’s savviest entrepreneurs to fast-track solutions from DOE’s National Labs into commercial-ready technologies”, stated Jennifer Granholm, Secretary of Energy. “These projects will help us deploy game-changing innovations that position us to win the clean energy race, while creating jobs and opportunity across every pocket of the country”.