Staff Researcher, CNR-ICMATE (Institute of Condensed Matter and Technologies for Energy), Italy.

Speech Title: Antifouling amphiphobic coatings for protection in sea environment
Abstract: A relatively young field achieving growing interest as innovative solution is represented by highly hydro and oleophobic (amphiphobic) materials dedicated to the marine environment.
Taking into account the limitations imposed by international laws in terms of environmental protection, technological and ecological aspects allow to be merged, also for the absence of release of chemicals like heavy metals or organometal compounds. In this work different mixed organic-inorganic coatings dedicated to the marine environment, showing highly water and oleo repellence, have been compared for applications and characterized and tested both in laboratory and field conditions. Investigations in real seawater have to be considered as crucial to evaluate the behaviour of such surfaces in complex environments not reproducible in laboratory.
Preliminary tests for wearing, thermal stress and durability have been also carried out in order to study amphiphobic systems for other applications related to the marine environment, like power or desalination plants.