Biofouling inhibition for aquaculture cage nets through a coating nano zinc and silicon oxides incorporated with polyaniline

Biofouling is one of the problems faced by cage aquaculture farmers, and its management is expensive. In this present study, polyethylene aquaculture cage nets were coated with the nano structured oxides of zinc and silicon incorporated with polyaniline. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope data evidenced that a thick coating of nano particle was formed on polyethylene. The oxides were attached to the quinoid part of polyaniline. The antifouling efficiency of treated cage net was tested by exposing in the Cochin estuary for three months. A webbing treated with 0.01% of each of the nano zinc oxide (ZnO) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) exhibited the highest biofouling resistance. Reinforcement of nano SiO2 with ZnO increased biofouling resistance as the former complemented the coating to make the system more efficient.