developmeNt of lignin-bAsed eco-friendly anTifoUling coatings for maRine AppLications (NATURAL)

Biofouling, i.e. the accumulation of biological matter on surfaces, needs to be minimized or controlled to ensure performance and safety of ships and other underwater devices or structures.

With stricter environmental rules on antifouling surface coatings, efforts are under way to find alternatives to current biocidal formulations.

The purpose of this project is to develop sustainable, biocide-free ship coatings with strong antifouling properties and low environmental impact.

Our approach proposes: a) mixing easily soluble sulfur-free organosolv lignin with fouling-resistant polyethylene glycols (PEGs) and b) grafting lignin nanoparticles with PEG, to develop novel high-performance lignin-based green antifouling coatings.

The antifouling properties and the hydrodynamic performance of the novel coatings will be assessed and compared with commercially available coatings after being deployed in seawater for a minimum of 6 months.

The target is to reduce biofouling to a minimum with a fuel saving potential of up to 20% as compared to traditional copper-based coatings.