Project description
Transforming the cycle of marine biofouling
From shipping to offshore energy, biofouling is a solution worth billions of euro for the global blue economy. While toxic biocides are currently used to keep surfaces clean, they devastate marine ecosystems and face increasing regulatory bans. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the COSPOL-BE project aims to develop a sustainable alternative: a self-polishing coating that uses smart nanostructures to fight back. By embedding piezoactive nanowires into the paint, the project creates dynamic surface polarity that destabilises the electric double layer, the very first stage of bioaccumulation. It combines materials physics and chemistry to disrupt how organisms attach to surfaces. The result is a toxic-free, eco-friendly coating that supports Europe’s Green Transition while protecting our oceans.
Objective
Biofouling is a persistent challenge in marine environments, imposing major economic and environmental costs on key sectors of the emerging blue economy, including marine transportation, aquaculture, and offshore infrastructure. Conventional antifouling strategies rely heavily on toxic biocides, which disrupt ecosystems and food chains, leading to regulatory bans and a pressing demand for eco-friendly alternatives.
This fellowship proposes a sustainable antifouling strategy based on self-switchable surface polarity to destabilise the electric double layer (EDL), the initial stage of surface conditioning that promotes bioaccumulation. The project will integrate piezoactive nanowires/belts (e.g. wurtzite Zinc Oxide) into a self-polishing coating matrix. As the coating erodes, embedded nanostructures become exposed at the solid–liquid interface, where their random bending generates dynamic polarity changes, resulting in EDL destabilisation. The continuous EDL-disruption is expected to impede surface conditioning and subsequent biofouling.
This interdisciplinary research combines expertise in materials chemistry and physics, and the physical chemistry of biological systems, employing advanced synthesis, electrochemical, and microscopic techniques to characterise bio-nanointerfacial phenomena. Hosted at University College London, the fellowship provides cutting-edge research facilities, supervision, and training opportunities, while fostering international mobility and collaboration.
Expected outcomes include the development of a new class of antifouling coating and a deeper mechanistic understanding of how EDL disruption affects bioaccumulation. The fellowship will enhance the researcher’s interdisciplinary skills, promote cross-border knowledge transfer, and directly support Europe’s Green and Digital Transitions under the European Research Area framework. Its results will deliver tangible benefits to the blue economy, society, and industrial end-users.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries fisheries
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry transition metals
- natural sciences chemical sciences physical chemistry
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
WC1E 6BT London
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.