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A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | O C T O B E R 2 0 1 9 8 SURFACE ENGINEERING STUDYING BARNACLE GLUE A groundbreaking method for identifying the glue proteins produced by barnacles could lead to improved cost and fuel efficiency in Navy ships. Researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Washington, hope their discovery will lead to new solu- tions for dealing with the accumulation of barnacles on ship hulls, which hin- ders Navy operations by creating sig- nificant drag. The new method is faster, safer, improves efficiency of samples, and yields more effective results than traditional methods. The small but powerful crusta- ceans create a cement-like adhesive layer that is difficult to remove once applied. The adhesive layer, called barnacle glue, is made of proteins that have remained mysterious to research- ers. Scientists believe identifying the proteins is the first step toward under- standing the glue, and ultimately devel- oping materials to effectively combat the glue’s adhesive qualities. Janna Schultzhaus and her fellow researchers designed a study to test how well their barocycler machine, a laboratory instrument used to subject specimens to cycles of pressure, could break down the proteins with three separate test solvents. The machine worked by continuously applying and releasing high pressure on the samples. Using the new method, research- ers identified more than 80 proteins, about double the number identified in previous studies which used solu- tions like toxic hexafluoroisopropanol to dissolve and study the glue. After they characterized the proteins, the re- searchers discovered several enzymes, which they believe may play a role in the production of glue, the transport of proteins, or in the support of the barna- cle molting process. NRL’s barnacle team believes developing novel ways to extract pro- teins will be critical to understanding how barnacles interact with the envi- ronment and, ultimately, how to keep them from attaching effectively. Their findings also have impli- cations for the medical community. According to Schultzhaus, medical re- searchers can use this technique to study similar substances, like plaques formed during disease. nrl.navy.mil. NEW ANTIMICROBIAL COATING FOR STEEL A new tool in the fight against the spread of infection has been devel- oped by researchers at the University of Birmingham, U.K. The scientists have created and patented an antimicro- bial coating for steel surfaces, which has proven to rapidly kill bacteria that cause some of the most common hospi- tal-acquired infections. The researchers demonstrated that the coating, also called NitroPep, can kill bacteria within 45 minutes. Cur- rent commercially available technolo- gies require up to 24 hours. They con- ducted a clinical trial where they coated NitroPep on steel surfaces—including door handles, an operating theater, and part of a communal toilet—on board a Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship. The results showed that the coat- ing was effective against five different bacteria that are responsible for hospi- tal-acquired infections. “Our successful clinical study shows that our non-toxic coating could be used on regularly handled steel sur- faces, such as toilet flush handles, bed rails, and metal medical equipment,” the scientists say. www.birmingham. ac.uk. BRIEF AZZ Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, a global provider of metal coating solutions, welding solutions, specialty electrical equip- ment, and highly engineered services, has acquired all the assets of NuZinc LLC, a privately held plating company in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. NuZinc provides electroplating services to aerospace, defense, telecommunications, medical, transportation, and commercial markets. azz.com. The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, has perfected a novel way to collect barnacle samples, shown here in pressure cycling technology tubes. Courtesy of Navy/Jonathan Steffen. NitroPep, used as a new coating on steel door handles, helps prevent the spread of five types of bacteria at hospitals.