Enhanced antifouling strategy with a strong synergistic effect of fluorescent antifouling and contact bacteriostasis using 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin

• Published in: Chemical engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland : 1996) Vol. 420; p. 127676
• Main Authors: Guo, Hongyu, Song, Lina, Hu, Jiankun, Lin, Tengfei, Li, Xiaohan, Yu, Haojie, Cheng, Dangguo, Hou, Yang, Zhan, Xiaoli, Zhang, Qinghua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15.09.2021
• Subjects: Antifouling; Biofouling; Fouling release; Low surface energy; Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS); Polyurethane coating; Fouling release; Polyurethane coating; Antifouling; Biofouling; Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS); Low surface energy
• ISSN: 1385-8947; 1873-3212
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2020.127676

•The highly transmissive UV band in seawater can be used for fluorescence response.•The fluorescence antifouling and contact bacteriostasis mechanisms were integrated.•7-amino-4-methylcoumarin was eco-friendly and the addition of the coumarin was low.•The self-stratifying effect contributed to the low surface energy characteristics. Low surface energy coating can protect marine equipment from biofouling, however, remaining a challenge in static applications due to the lack of shear force provided by water scour. Herein, we developed a polyurethane with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polytetrahydrofuran (PTMG) as main chains and 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin as antifouling group by condensation polymerization. Besides the fluorescence response to the ultraviolet band in seawater with high transmittance, the typical benzopyrone framework of 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin endows antibacterial properties. Owing to the strong synergistic effect of fluorescence antifouling and contact bacteriostasis mechanism, the PDMS-based fouling-release surface achieves a superior antifouling effect with an extremely small amount (less than 0.20 wt%) of the antifouling group, which is almost the lowest among previous research. And 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin can be naturally derived from plants, which explored novel research for environmentally friendly antifouling strategy.