Transparent, hydrophobic, self-polishing organosilicon-modified zinc acrylate polymer coating for marine antifouling

Abstract

Considering the increasing efforts toward marine environment protection, the replacement of the conventional self-polishing antifouling coatings with their ecofriendly alternatives is urgently required. The key aspect of this transformation is the augmentation of the antifouling capabilities of matrix resins, which enables a substantial reduction in the use of antifouling agents. Consequently, research on high-performance self-polishing antifouling matrix resins is of utmost importance. Herein, to prepare a multifunctional zinc acrylate polymer for marine antifouling, an acrylate siloxane monomer (ASM) that undergoes free-radical polymerization with acrylate monomers was synthesized by grafting a hydroxyl-containing organosilicon intermediate (RSN-6018) with hydroxyethyl methacrylate. The prepared coating demonstrates excellent transparency in the short term after the addition of the ASM, addressing the issue of the poor compatibility of the organosilicon-modified zinc acrylate polymer. After immersion in seawater for 35 d, the organosilicon-modified zinc acrylate polymer exhibits a stable hydrolysis performance, facilitating the self-polishing of the coating. Because of the presence of the siloxane structure, the coating maintains stable hydrophobicity even after soaking in seawater for 35 d, demonstrating a contact angle of 115.0° ± 1°. The organosilicon-modified zinc acrylate polymer coating has an inhibition rate of up to 99 % against Staphylococcus aureus and exhibits antifouling effects lasting for more than two months in the actual marine environment. Overall, the proposed method offers a high level of innovation and provides an effective and novel approach for preparing modified self-polishing antifouling resins.