Biofouling attachment on submerged surfaces presents a serious economic and ecological problem for the marine industry.<br/>When a substrate-bonded dielectric elastomer (DE) is subjected to high voltage, deformations in the form of creases can be formed at the surface of the DE. This deformation, has been already demonstrated for the prevention and detachment of biofouling from the surface of DEs. In this work we add sensing capabilities to the anti-biofouling effect of active DE surfaces.<br/>A device consisting of a metallic plate, a Kapton sheet, and a thin silicone film, was immersed in saltwater. The water acted as one electrode, with the metal plate being the second electrode.<br/>Because silicone film was bonded to a rigid substrate, and because silicones are incompressible, voltages below the creasing threshold created no deformation in the film, and therefore no change in capacitance. However, when a critical value of voltage was reached, instabilities appeared at the surface of the silicone in the form of creases. Formation of creases increased the capacitance of the device. The voltage at which the capacitance increases is identified as the threshold voltage for creasing instabilities. We propose that when biofouling material (e.g. barnacles) is attached to the surface of the silicone elastomer, it will change the stiffness of the surface of the silicone elastomer and influence the threshold voltage necessary to develop creases. Measuring the capacitance versus voltage will enable the identification of the voltage threshold, and therefore provide a monitor of biofouling growth.

Creasing instabilities of dielectric elastomer for monitoring of biofouling

ACS Fall 2020 Virtual Meeting

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