Amphiphilic copolymers containing different amounts of poly(ethylene glycol)-fluoroalkyl acrylate and polysiloxane methacrylate units were blended with a poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) matrix in different proportions to investigate the effect of both copolymer composition and loading on the biological performance of the coatings. Laboratory bioassays revealed optimal compositions for the release of sporelings of Ulva linza, and the settlement of cypris larvae of Balanus amphitrite. The best-performing coatings were subjected to field immersion tests. Experimental coatings containing copolymer showed significantly reduced levels of hard fouling compared to the control coatings (PDMS without copolymer), their performance being equivalent to a coating based on Intersleek 700™. XPS analysis showed that only small amounts of fluorine at the coating surface were sufficient for good antifouling/fouling-release properties. AFM analyses of coatings under immersion showed that the presence of a regular surface structure with nanosized domains correlated with biological performance.

Amphiphilic copolymers of a methacrylic monomer (SiMA) carrying a polysiloxane side chain and an acrylic monomer (ZA) with a mixed poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)‐fluoroalkyl side chain (10–85 mol % ZA) were incorporated as the surface‐active components into poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) network blends at different loadings (1 and 4 wt % with respect to PDMS). Wettability of the coating surfaces was investigated by contact angle measurements, and their surface chemical composition was determined by angle‐resolved X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It was found that the surface segregation of the fluoroalkyl segments of the amphiphilic copolymers was responsible for the high enrichment in fluorine concentration within 10 nm of the coating surface. The PEG segments were also concentrated at the polymer−air interface. The chemical composition of the films was proven to be relatively little affected by immersion in water. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012

Summary: Host‐guest complexes of α‐cyclodextrin (α‐CD) and methylated β‐cyclodextrin (Me‐β‐CD) with diacrylates and dimethacrylates of butan‐1,4‐diol and hexan‐1,6‐diol at varying stoichiometries were studied. The complexes were analyzed by means of 1H NMR, two‐dimensional ROESY spectroscopy and Job's curves, which clearly revealed the discriminating influence of the two hosts towards complex formation. The corresponding polymers were obtained using a redox initiator system in water. Thermal analysis and IR measurements of the polymers provided evidence for the existence of a polyrotaxane architecture.Proposed structure of the cross‐linked polymers obtained by the redox polymerization of the Me‐β‐CD complexed monomers.imageProposed structure of the cross‐linked polymers obtained by the redox polymerization of the Me‐β‐CD complexed monomers.

An antifouling coating is described that improves digital microfl uidic device lifetime up to 5.5-fold relative to the state of the art. The material is dynamic: under standard conditions, the surface is fl at and fl uorinated; upon applying an electrical potential, the surface becomes activated, forming nanometer-sized fl uoropegylated structures . www.afm-journal.deAdv. Funct. Mater. 2015, 25, 501-504

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