New technology developed by our researchers addresses a need by utilizing a chemically stabilized hydrogel. With time under water, the gel slowly dissolves away from the surface thereby preventing attachment of fouling organisms such as barnacles and/or biofilm-producing bacteria. The hydrogel consists of any biological material or polymer that forms a gel such as type A gelatin. The bio-hydrogel can be chemically stabilized with cross-links. The cross-linking agent can be any chemical or catalyst that introduces new bonds in the gelled hydrogel polymer or forms a poly-mer itself that interposes with the biological polymer. The rate of molecular dissolution of the hydrogel can be controlled by the concentration and thickness of the biopolymer in the hydrogel and the nature and concentration of the cross-linker used. Additional components, either molecular or particulate, can be added to the bio-hydrogel before or after cross-linking for enhanced properties. Graph shows that the num-ber of days it takes for the bio-hydrogel to dissolve completely depends on the gelatin and cross-linker concentrations.
Number of days for complete dissolution of the hydrogel (gelatin concentration of 10 or 30% and cross linker concentration of 4, 8 or 18% are used)