Systems and methods for active biofouling control

• Main Authors: Wang, Qiming, Zhao, Xuanhe, Lopez, Gabriel P, Levering, Vrad W, Shivapooja, Phanindhar
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 19.02.2019
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; AGRICULTURE; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES, AS HERBICIDES; CLEANING; CLEANING IN GENERAL; CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS,e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES,DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; CONVEYING; DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROMTHE BODY; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF,TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, E.G. STENTS; FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; FIRST-AID KITS; FISHING; FOMENTATION; FORESTRY; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HUNTING; HYGIENE; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; PACKAGES; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS; PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTSTHEREOF; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL; PROSTHESES; STORING; TRANSPORTING; TRAPPING; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS

Disclosed herein are devices and methods for active biofouling control. According to an aspect, a device comprising a surface for contacting a biological material. The device also comprises a mechanism comprising a structure configured to change the surface between a first shape and a second shape. The change from the first shape to the second shape deforms the surface beyond a critical strain for debonding of a fouling agent from the surface when the fouling agent has bonded to the surface in the first shape.