German Scientists Create "Nanofur" Coating that Could "Significantly Reduce Marine Fuel Consumption"

The coating has been likened to the high-density hairs that comprise the coating of some ferns and insects.

Scientists at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany have developed a plant-like coating it says could significantly reduce bunker consumption by reducing the underwater drag of marine vessels, the Nanowerk website reports.

The superhydrophobic, air-retaining biomimetic "nanofur" coating has been likened to the high-density hairs that comprise the coating of some ferns and insects, which allow them to be surrounded by a layer of air while underwater.

The nanofur has been proven to hold an air film underwater for over 31 days and resist additional hydrostatic pressure.

Moreover, the scientists of Karlsruhe's Institute for Microstructure Technology (IMT) have developed a method of production said to be inexpensive and scalable.

The report noted that IMT's achievement could be groundbreaking given that most of the energy in shipping is used to overcome surface friction, and reducing frictional underwater drag could significantly reduce marine fuel consumption.

Dr. Maryna Kavalenka, a postdoc at IMT, told Nanowerk that she and her colleagues are now focused on boosting the performance of the nanofur, which is made via a hot pulling technique using sandblasted steel plates as molds.

"This, combined with research into the drag reduction for higher flow rates as they occur on container ships and other types of marine vessels, is going to be very interesting," Kavalenka remarked.

This is not the first potential marine coating to mimic nature: German scientists have also developed a coating for ship hulls that reproduces the properties found in sharks' skin to minimize drag and fuel consumption.