Copolymer films containing amphiphilic side chains of well-defined fluoroalkyl-segment length with biofouling-release potential

Abstract

Novel methacrylate copolymers containing polysiloxane (SiMA) and mixed poly(ethyleneglycol)-perfluorohexyl side chains (MEF) were synthesised and dispersed as surface-active additives in crosslinked PDMS films. The amphiphilic behaviour of the copolymers caused surface reconstruction in water which was characterised by dynamic and static contact angle measurements and angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The XPS CF2/OCH2 ratio between the hydrophobic fluoroalkyl segments and the hydrophilic oxyethylenic segments was high (15/64) for the copolymer richest in MEF (93 mol%), which also had a high percentage of surface fluorine (∼30%). By contrast, an especially low CF2/OCH2 ratio (0/16) and a low percentage of surface fluorine (∼2%) were identified for the copolymer poorest in MEF (14 mol%). Such large differences in surface chemical composition reflected different antifouling and fouling-release properties against the green macroalga Ulva linza. Generally, the films containing the copolymer with the smallest MEF content were able to resist the settlement of zoospores better than those with a high MEF content and had a superior release of sporelings (young plants)

Amphiphilic Polymer Platforms: Surface Engineering of Films for Marine Antibiofouling

“…Illustrations of surface‐active (co)polymers containing hydrophilic PEG units, hydrophobic PDMS units and hydrophobic/lipophobic fluorinated units of varying length (x, y and z, respectively) for introduction into PDMS‐based systems …”

Catalytic coupling of CH4 with CHF3 for the synthesis of VDF over LaOF catalyst

“…For spectral analysis of C 1s, deconvolution peaks at 284.9 eV, 285.5 eV, 287.1 eV, 288.0 eV and 288.8 eV correspond to the carbon species of C, C‐O, CH 2 , C‐F and CF 2 . Following reaction, the C content detected on the catalyst increases significantly, indicating the formation of coke during the reaction.…”

Surface Segregation of Amphiphilic PDMS-Based Films Containing Terpolymers with Siloxane, Fluorinated and Ethoxylated Side Chains

“…Random copolymers in particular have gained a great deal of interest in the last decade being their synthesis easier and more suitable for an industrial scale production than the block copolymer counterparts [14]. Notably, random copolymers have been proven to generate nanostructured materials as a result of their self-assembling in solution [15][16][17][18][19][20], bulk and at the surface of polymer thin films [4,21]. In the field of coatings, surface-active additives have been utilized for several purposes, especially for the development of antifouling (AF)/fouling-release (FR) coatings to combat marine biofouling [12].…”

“…In the field of coatings, surface-active additives have been utilized for several purposes, especially for the development of antifouling (AF)/fouling-release (FR) coatings to combat marine biofouling [12]. In this regard, reactive [22][23][24][25] and non-reactive amphiphilic copolymers [21,[26][27][28][29] generally composed of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chains, as the hydrophilic component, and polysiloxane and/or fluoropolymer chains, as the hydrophobic component, have been investigated. The hydrophilic component of election is PEG on the basis of its known high resistance to the adhesion of proteins, bacteria, cells and marine organisms [30,31].…”