| AVS 57th International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Biomaterials Plenary Session | Sunday Sessions |
| Session BP-SuA |
| Session: | Detecting, Characterizing and Controlling Biofouling |
| Presenter: | A.B. Brennan, University of Florida |
| Authors: | A.B. Brennan, University of Florida C.M. Magin, University of Florida L.K. Ista, University of New Mexico G.P. Lopez, Duke University M.E. Callow, University of Birmingham, UK J.A. Finlay, University of Birmingham, UK J.A. Callow, University of Birmingham, UK |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Biofouling is a technically complex issue that directly impacts our economic stability and environmental health. Recent identification of the long term negative effects of chemical antifouling compounds led to a world ban of TBT in 2008. We are investigating the impact of physical/chemical characteristics of surfaces on the attachment process. Our focus on topography led to the development of the Sharklet AF™ pattern, which is a bio-inspired structure embossed into polymeric surfaces. The Sharklet AF™ pattern was the first example of a physical attribute capable of strongly inhibiting the attachment of the zoospore of Ulva green algae and the cells of Cobetia marina bacteria. Amodel is presented for bacteria and algal zoospores, correlating attachment density with surface roughness. Our model demonstrates, for the first time, that organisms respond in a uniform manner that can be described in terms of surface energy and a Reynolds number associated with the organism.