A review on polyurethane anti-fouling coatings

Abstract

In the development of marine industry, marine bio-fouling caused a significant impact on the economy and ecology. Thus, it is urgent to develop high-performance coatings with outstanding anti-fouling and biologically resistant properties. Polyurethane (PU) coatings are widely used due to their superior mechanical strength, chemical resistance, abrasion resistance, and weather resistance. Its superior stability makes it an ideal choice in the field of marine anti-fouling. From the perspective of PU resin structure, polyurethanes can be divided into organic fluorine/silicone modified and acrylic-based polyurethanes. In terms of functionality, polyurethanes can be classified as self-polishing, biodegradable, self-healing, and anti-corrosive/anti-fouling polyurethanes. In addition, with the introduction of nanocomposites in recent years, there is increasing attention on constructing micro-nano structures to improve coating properties, which has become one of the hot research topics. This article provides a detailed introduction to various types of polyurethane coatings from different perspectives, as well as outlines the anti-fouling mechanisms of some polyurethane coatings while briefly summarizing the current situation and future prospects for PU coatings.