Polydimethyl siloxane coatings with superior antibiofouling efficiency in laboratory and marine conditions

• Published in: Progress in organic coatings 2017-02, Vol.103, p.126-134
• Main Authors: Akuzov, Danail, Vladkova, Todorka, Zamfirova, Galya, Gaydarov, Valentin, Nascimento, Matheus Vieira, Szeglat, Nadine, Grunwald, Ingo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adhesion; Algae; Algae adhesion; Anti-biofouling agents; Antifouling; Antioxidants; Biocides-free composition coatings; Biocompatibility; Biofilms; Biofouling; Coatings; Crosslinking; Fouling; Microorganisms; Mussel adhesion; Polydimethylsiloxane; Polysiloxanes; Sharply reduced marine biofilm formation; Surfactants; “Bioactive” surface layer
• ISSN: 0300-9440; 1873-331X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.porgcoat.2016.10.028

•Polydimethyl siloxane coatings with superior antifouling efficiency in laboratory and marine conditions were developed using relevantly selected non-ionic surfactant and antioxidant.•The excellent antifouling properties: superior reduced mussel adhesion, algae growth and marine macro-biofouling, all down to zero; as well as easily and totally removable scare multi-species biofilm were a result of “down up” formed thin, plane “bioactive” surface layer.•It was supposed that the non-ionic surfactant impedes the initial reversible adhesion of the biofoulers, together with the non-toxic antioxidant inhibits the oxidative crosslinking of secreted EPS and later assists the biofilm dispersal. Aim of this investigation was to demonstrate in laboratory and field experiments, the ability of relevantly selected non-ionic surfactant, non-toxic antioxidant and their combinations to reduce sharply marine biofilm development on polysiloxane coatings totally preventing marine macro-fouling on slowly moving and static immersed surfaces. Their superior antifouling properties: reduced to zero mussel and algae adhesion, as well as multispecies macro-fouling, and 6–10 folds reduced marine biofilm, were attributed to a formation of a thin, plane, “bioactive” surface layer. Its excellent anti-biofouling action was supposed to be due to the presence of impeding the initial microbial attachment non-ionic surfactant that together with the non-toxic antioxidant inhibits a supposed oxidative cross-linking of secreted exopolymeric substances and later assists the biofilm dispersal.