Preparation And Performance Of Fluorine/Silicone Crosslinked Network Coatings With Low Surface Energy For Marine Antifouling Application

Biofouling is a worldwide problem which has troubled people for many years.Tranditional antifouling coatings including tributyl tin (TBT-based compounds) andheavy metal antifouling coatings were banned or restricted by IMO because severalstudies indicated that they had adverse effects on aquatic life. Research anddevelopment of environment-friendly antifouling coatings mainly about fouling realsecoatings have become a trend. Fouling realse coatings include silicone-based coatings,fluorine-based coatings, fluorine/silicone modified coatings, amphiphilic polymercoatings with PEG side chains.To obtain fouling release coatings which have the advantages of bothsilicone-based coatings and fluorine-based coatings,,-triethoxysilane terminatedpoly(dimethylsiloxane)(PDMS) oligomer,,-triethoxysilane terminatedperfluoropolyether (PFPE) oligomer and acrylic polyols were firstly synthesized viaaddition reaction and free radical polymerization, respectively. Then, crosslinkednetwork coatings based on PFPE/PDMS/acrylic polyols for marine fouling-raleaseapplications were prepared by condensation reaction. The structure of crosslinkednetwork coating was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Thechemical composition of the coating surface was characterized by X-rayphotoelectron spectroscopy. The thermal properties, surface energy and mechanicalproperties of the coatings were systematically studied. The anti-biofouling propertiesof crosslinked network coating were evaluated by laboratory biofouling assays usingbacteria Escherichia coli and the fouling diatom Navicula. The results suggested thatthis crosslinked network coating has promising antifouling properties.It is well known that polyethyleneglypol (PEG) has protein repellency and cellsadhesion inhibition. To achieve fouling release coatings which have the advantages ofboth PEG-based coatings and fluorine-based coatings, acrylic polyols(BOH) withPEG side chain,,-triethoxysilane terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane)(PDMS) oligomer,,-triethoxysilane terminated perfluoropolyether (PFPE) oligomer weresynthesized via addition reaction and free radical polymerization, respectively. Then,crosslinked network coatings based on PFPE/PDMS/BOH for marine fouling-raleaseapplications were prepared by condensation reaction. The structure of crosslinkednetwork coating, chemical composition of the coating surface, thermal properties,surface energy, mechanical properties, anti-biofouling properties of the coatings weresystematically studied. The results from the preliminary study suggested that thiscrosslinked network coating with PEG side chain has better antifouling properties.In order to obtain the coatings with low elastic modulus while introducing PEG,PDMS was used as matrix resin instead of acrylic resin. Another amphiphilic polymercrosslinked network coatings based on PDMS with PEG side chain (TMS-PEG) andfluorine side chain (FMS) for marine fouling-ralease applications were prepared bycondensation reaction. The structure of crosslinked network coating, chemicalcomposition of the coating surface, thermal properties, surface energy, mechanicalproperties, anti-biofouling properties of the coatings were systematically studied. Theresults suggested that this amphiphilic polymer crosslinked network coating has betterantifouling properties than silicone-based coatings, fluorine-based coatings,fluorine/silicone modified coatings.