A Self-Polishing Coating with Dual Anti-Fouling Strategies and its Preparation Method

Anti-fouling coatings are an effeective strategy for combating biofouling in the marine industry. However, traditional anti-fouling coatings have the disadvantages of high toxicity and unstable polymer degradation rates, which impact on the environment and economy. Herein, a self-polishing, anti-fouling coating without heavy-metal biocides and with dual anti-fouling mechanisms is prepared. By grafting N-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzyl), which is a repellent effect on fouling organisms, onto an acrylic resin and introducing polydimethylsiloxane chains to reduce surface energy, the adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio alginolyticus and Nitzschia sp. on the coating surface is reduced by ≈90.2%, >99.9% and ≈89.8%, respectively. To ensure that the coating can form a self-renewing surface under seawater scouring, degradable polycaprolactone chain is used to bridge the acrylic resin; thus, the mechanical properties of the coating are improved. This study provides a solution to the problem of biofouling in the marine industry, biomedicine, and other fields.