Biofouling: lessons from nature

Biofouling is generally undesirable for many applications. An overview of the medical, marine and industrial fields susceptible to fouling is presented. Two types of fouling include biofouling from organism colonization and inorganic fouling from non-living particles. Nature offers many solutions to...

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Published inPhilosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A: Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences Vol. 370; no. 1967; pp. 2381 - 2417
Main Authors Bixler, Gregory D., Bhushan, Bharat
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England The Royal Society Publishing 28.05.2012
The Royal Society
Subjects
Animals
Antifouling
Bacteria
Biofilm
Biofilms
Biofouling
Biomimetics
Biosensing techniques
Cleaning
Coatings
Fouling
Implants
Microbiology
Nature
Review
Self-Cleaning
Wettability
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Summary:Biofouling is generally undesirable for many applications. An overview of the medical, marine and industrial fields susceptible to fouling is presented. Two types of fouling include biofouling from organism colonization and inorganic fouling from non-living particles. Nature offers many solutions to control fouling through various physical and chemical control mechanisms. Examples include low drag, low adhesion, wettability (water repellency and attraction), microtexture, grooming, sloughing, various miscellaneous behaviours and chemical secretions. A survey of nature's flora and fauna was taken in order to discover new antifouling methods that could be mimicked for engineering applications. Antifouling methods currently employed, ranging from coatings to cleaning techniques, are described. New antifouling methods will presumably incorporate a combination of physical and chemical controls.
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One contribution of 10 to a Theme Issue Biosensors: surface structures and materials.
Theme Issue 'Biosensors: surface structures and materials' compiled and edited by Bharat Bhushan
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ISSN:1364-503X
1471-2962
DOI:10.1098/rsta.2011.0502