JV to investigate bio-based coatings

APC’s main product line is a polymer-based tank coating and lining system, MarineLine, used to protect maritime chemical and product tankers. Reactive Surfaces employs proprietary enzyme and peptide technology for innovative coatings solutions. The joint venture will develop new environmentally-benign, bio-based, functional marine coatings for submersed hull surfaces and under-sea structures. The new coatings will use surface-modifying additives designed to meet or exceed the efficacy of current marine coatings.

The companies say they are gearing up to take advantage of the rapidly growing drive toward non-toxic, low drag underwater vessel surfaces with a goal of increasing ‘slip’ through the water. According to APC chairman Donald J Keehan: “This new generation of exterior underwater coatings we will develop will expand our offering to the marine industry. We plan in the years ahead to take advantage of the growing ‘green’ trend for non-toxic, low drag underwater vessel surfaces by introducing Reactive Sciences’ bio-based functionality into new coatings using natural biomaterials, such as proteins and peptides.”

Coatings tests will be conducted by the joint venture partners using a number of different Reactive Science bio-based additives, including the self-degreasing additive DeGreez, self-decontaminating additive OPDtox and antimicrobial additive ProteCoat. These will be applied in a variety of polymer systems, and in a range of marine environments, culminating with on-ship testing.

Dr C Steven McDaniel, managing partner and chief innovation officer of surface technologies explains: “Bio-based functionality employs natural biomaterials, such as proteins and peptides, to provide an enormous resource of functional additives that are non-persistent in the environment, non-toxic and renewable. By focusing on the unique and specific binding properties of these biomolecules, our bio-based additives create an innovative function to coatings systems called ‘recharge-ability.’ By being able to change or renew functionality without recoating, a new effective dimension is added to the coated marine surface.”