4. Topographic coatings

Surface topography is a decisive parameter in an antifouling approach. Roughness has a pronounced effect on surface wettability. Roughness can be defined on different scales: macroroughness (approx. 10 µm), microroughness (approx. 1 µm) and nanoroughness (≤ 1 µm). These different scales have a considerable impact on surface colonization by marine organisms. They increase adhesive contacts between the surface of the organisms and that of the substrate, and protect the organisms from hydrodynamic forces and dehydration. However, the architecture of the topography and its size at the micrometric scale significantly influence the adhesion of marine organisms.

Biomimetic coatings have thus been developed based on biological systems. Indeed, faced with the complexity of colonizing organisms, nature has cleverly developed both chemical and physical strategies to minimize...