Dirt. It is everywhere! It’s a sticky substance that makes us want to shower regularly, but it does not end there. It can also cause major problems, such as the fouling of ships, clogging of sewers and a decreasing success rate of organ transplants, because even here, a sticky and dirty layer can develop.
I would like to prevent such problems by developing an antifouling coating, consisting of polymers, which are long and flexible molecules. When attaching these polymers to a surface one by one, a brush is formed, also known as a polymer brush. Because of the high brush density and the antifouling character of the used polymers, fouling particles are unable to adhere to the coated surface and so the surface remains clean.
Hence, by coating all kinds of surfaces, such as the hull of a ship, with this protective brushy coating, I hope I can contribute to a cleaner future in which we can have a living without sticking.