• Project Dates: July 2013 - September 2017
• Project Leader: Professor Tony Clare
• Staff: Dr Nick Aldred
• Sponsors: Office of Naval Research

Fouling-release coatings weaken the adhesion of marine fouling species and thus have the potential to self-clean under hydrodynamic shear. Current commercial coatings, however, do foul, especially in low energy environments (e.g. embayments and docks) and when ships are static or operating at low speed. This is a particular issue for Navy ships. This project seeks to increase understanding of barnacle settlement, of the modification of settlement/adhesion by surface properties, and of algal fouling under hydrodynamic conditions.