Synthesis of hybrid zinc/silyl acrylate copolymers and their surface properties in the microfouling stage

Abstract

Development of an environmentally friendly and efficient marine antifouling coating is a central goal in marine antifouling. In this study, a series of novel hybrid zinc/silyl acrylate copolymers (Zn/Si-acrylate copolymers) composed of tri(isopropyl)silyl acrylate (TIPSA), zinc-2-ethylhexanoate methacrylate (Zn-monomer), ethyl acrylate and methyl methacrylate were synthesized and their surface compositions, thermal degradation and hydrolysis properties were investigated. After being immersed in seawater, the hydrolysis of TIPSA and Zn-monomer could lead to a gradual self-peeling of the Zn/Si-acrylate surfaces, which was controlled by the ratio of TIPSA to Zn-monomer. The Zn/Si-acrylate copolymers with high Zn-monomer content showed excellent performance in the resistance of diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum (P. tricornutum) growth on the Zn/Si-acrylate films. Both the self-peeling and release of zinc compounds lead to antifouling properties, which demonstrated that Zn/Si-acrylate copolymers were an effective resin for marine antifouling in static or low flow conditions.