Dipartimento di Biologia, Ecologia e Scienze della Terra, Università della Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
Silvestro Antonio Ruffolo
Dipartimento di Biologia, Ecologia e Scienze della Terra, Università della Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
Mauro Francesco La Russa
Dipartimento di Biologia, Ecologia e Scienze della Terra, Università della Calabria, Via Pietro Bucci, 87036 Arcavacata di Rende, Italy
Concetta Rispoli
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell’Ambiente e delle Risorse, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte Sant’Angelo, ED. 10, Via Cintia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy
Celestino Grifa
Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie, Università degli Studi del Sannio di Benevento, Via De Sanctis snc, 82100 Benevento, Italy
Aranzazu Sierra-Fernández
Instituto de Geociencias (CSIC, UCM) C/Severo Ochoa 7, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Rafael Fort
Instituto de Geociencias (CSIC, UCM) C/Severo Ochoa 7, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Luciana Randazzo
Dipartimento di Scienze delle Terra e del Mare, Università di Palermo, Via Archirafi, 26, 90123 Palermo, Italy
This research has focused on the assessment of the compositional features and mechanical and antifouling performances of two different mortars formulated for an underwater setting, and which contain Mg(OH)2 as an antifouling agent. Regarding the mechanical characterization, the uniaxial compressive strength and flexural strength were measured. The composition of the materials was explored by differential thermal/thermogravimetric analysis (DTA-TG), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRPD), and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) coupled with EDS microanalysis. The assessment of the biological colonization was evaluated with colorimetric analysis and image analysis. The results suggest that both mortars have good mechanical resistance once set underwater. Moreover, the adding of Mg(OH)2 improves the resistance toward biofouling; this was observed both in laboratory and sea-exposed specimens.
