Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2010KY139B

The carboxylic acid-bound iodine layer - towards an anti-fouling coating for water sensors and water treatment facilities

Institute: Kentucky
Year Established: 2010 Start Date: 2010-03-01 End Date: 2011-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $4,999 Total Non-Federal Funds: $10,043

Principal Investigators: Yuguang Cai

Project Summary: We propose a novel approach to address biofouling problems that employs an anti-bacterial silane film, which can be coated on water-contact surfaces through self-assembly chemistry. The film will contain surface-bound iodine, which inhibits microorganisms. Silane film can grow on hydrophilic surfaces so most metal and inorganic surfaces can be coated with silane films through a self-assembly process. Polymer or plastic surfaces can also be treated with oxygen plasma, yielding a hydrophilic COOH-terminated surface, which can be used to directly bind iodine or as a substrate for silane film growth. In order to maintain a long-term anti-fouling effect, prolonged soaking in water should not leach the surface-bound iodine away. We plan to use silane film on a silicon wafer as a model system to study how firmly iodine can be held against water leaching.