Anti-fouling Property of Hydrophobic Surfaces in Sea Water

Abstract

Effects of material surface property, hydrophobic or hydrophilic, on the bio-fouling occurred on the bodies submerged in the sea water are investigated experimentally. 4 test models are used in the experiment, which includes aluminum foil in common use, AAO applied hydrophobic surface, HDFS coated hydrophobic surface and hydrophilic surface. Hydrophobic surfaces with numerous micro & nano-scale pillars on it seems to play very important role of preventing them from fouling in initial stage while the effects disappear in long term sense of fouling process. It is concluded that the surface hydrophobicity retards the initial fouling until the fouling thickness is smaller than the heights of the pillars on it but the effects diminish with the fouling proceeds so that the thickness grows bigger than the pillar heights.