The Duplex Fouling-Release coating.

Shipping companies, shoreline industries, and power plants have long used toxic anti-fouling paints and chemcials to combat aquatic biofouling. Growing concerns about the long-term environmental effects of these paints and chemicals, coupled with new federal and international regulations, has fueled research for environmentally benign methods to deal with the problem of biofouling.

Silicone-based materials have been tested by the U.S. Navy and others, and proven to be excellent materials for fouling release coatings. Because silicone-based coatings employ a physical rather than chemical means of reducing fouling, these types of coatings do not damage the marine environment as do traditional “metal-based” anti-fouling paints.

FUJIFILM Hunt Smart Surfaces now provides the Smart alternative. Our Duplex Fouling Release system is a patented, nontoxic, silicone-based coating technology that provides superior bio-fouling and environmental protection for the Marine and Power Generation Industry. Described as “one of the most promising systems” by the Naval Research Laboratory, our Duplex technology consists of four coats:

1. First coat – Marine or Industrial Immersion grade anti-corrosive / barrier epoxy or epoxy sealer in the case of application over concrete.
2. Second coat - Marine/Immersion grade anti-corrosive / barrier epoxy to which FHSM’s tethering agent is added.
3. FHSM Tie Coat. The Tie Coat is the heart of the Duplex System, imparting superior adhesion and toughness to the system while maintaining superb fouling release properties.
4. FHSM Surface Coat. The Surface Coat incorporates RTV silicone with added proprietary silicone oils for enhanced biofouling release properties.

Duplex refers to the ability of the Tie Coat to create superior adhesion and durability between the system’s vastly different epoxy anti-corrosive layer and the silicone Surface Coat, effectively interlocking the two by employing a unique thermoplastic elastomeric formula. This technology dramatically boosts the toughness and adhesion properties of the epoxy and silicone coatings, creating a new system far more durable than anything currently in use.

“The Duplex System is a super-slick, super-tough, environmentally-friendly fouling release coating.”

Our patented solution unites durability, longevity, clean-ability, reparability and cost-effectiveness in a single product. Additionally, the non-toxic Duplex System offers increased fuel efficiency, decreased maintenance costs, decreased downtime and total compliance with environmental regulations - all at the lowest release speed in the industry.