AU2015100800A4 - The inclusion of finely ground abalone shell dust to below waterline structure coating applications, to prevent anti-fouling colonisations by the usual marine organisms. - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract Due to the principles of natural selection, the abalone has obviously created its own natural defence within its shell substance, against being over-burdened with other organisms that could affect its mobility, or its attachment to rigid bottom in the marine environment. Therefore, the inclusion of abalone shell dust to replace current toxic substances that are added to anti-fouling paints and/or coatings would prevent anti-fouling colonisations by the usual marine organisms.

Description

EDITORIAL NOTE 2015100800 There is one page of description only.

Abalone Shell Dust as a Marine Antifouling Treatment The inclusion of finely ground abalone shell dust to below waterline structure coating applications, to prevent anti-fouling colonisations by the usual marine organisms. The basis for this idea is that a live abalone's shell resists being colonised by the same marine organisms that grow on boat hulls, wharf support structures, ropes, etc. These attachment colonising organisms include weed, tunicates, barnacles, mussels and oysters. Although the abalone's outer shell can get minor colonisation from algae, no marine organisms grows on the shiny nacreous inner side of the shell or at the interchange between inner and outer shell surfaces. Even when the animal is dead, its empty shell still resists attachment colonisation by marine organisms. Due to the principles of natural selection, the abalone has obviously created its own natural defence within its shell substance, against being over-burdened with other organisms that could affect its mobility, or its attachment to rigid bottom in the marine environment. I contend that if abalone shell is finely ground into a dust, it could be used as an antifouling treatment in the following applications: * Be powder coated to metallic fittings normally positioned below the waterline. * Mixed in fibreglass and/or dusted to below waterline top coats during marine hull manufacture. * Mixed in and/or dusted to below waterline marine paint to replace the current environmental toxic inclusions used as anti-fouling treatments, for use by other marine hull fabrications and marine structures. * Mixed into synthetic marine rope fibres during liquid fibre phase and/or dusted during spinneret extraction. * Mixed in or dusted onto synthetic material during its extrusion process for marine fish farm nets. * Dusted onto concrete surfaces of below water-line pier supports during casting.