Innovative Marine Antifouling Solutions for High Value Applications (IMAS)
The Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), together with Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences (ICES), the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (SIMTech) and the Tropical Marine Science Institute of the National University of Singapore (NUS) are creating an interdisciplinary platform for antifouling research within IMAS. IMRE research activities within this program can be classified into the following areas:
i. Understanding fouling adhesion at the molecular level - Study of molecular adhesion of proteins secreted by marine organisms leading to macrofouler colonization. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) probing of surface-adsorbed protein and its adhesion at the molecular level.
ii. New evaluation methods for antifouling materials - Developing and establishing novel diagnostics, based on the bioresponse of marine organisms, which evaluate and quantify the performance of engineered surface properties in marine fouling prevention applications.
iii. Fabrication of new antifouling surfaces - Fabrication of topological patterns that mimic naturally occurring antifouling surfaces. Combining of micro- and nano-scale molecular patterning with surface chemistry modifications to elucidate the ultimate antifouling properties.