The effects of silicone fluid additives and silicone elastomer matrices on barnacle adhesion strength.
Barnacle adhesion strength was used to screen seventy-seven polydimethylsiloxane elastomeric coatings for fouling-release properties. The test coatings were designed to investigate the effect on barnacle adhesion strength of silicone fluid additive type, additive location, additive molecular weight, additive loading level, mixtures of additives, coating matrix type and coating fillers. The type of silicone fluid additive was the primary controlling factor in barnacle fouling-release. The type of silicone matrix in which the fluid resided was found to alter the effect on fouling-release. Two PDMS fluids, DMSC15 and DBE224, significantly reduced the adhesion strength of barnacles compared to unmodified elastomers. Optimum fouling-release performance was dependent on the interaction of fluid type and elastomeric matrix.
Kavanagh
Christopher J
CJ
Department of Oceanography & Ocean Engineering, Florida Institute of Technology, 150 West University Boulevard, Melbourne, FL 32901, USA. cjkav@fit.edu
Swain
Geoffrey W
GW
Kovach
Brett S
BS
Stein
Judith
J
Darkangelo-Wood
Christina
C
Truby
Kathryn
K
Holm
Eric
E
Montemarano
Jean
J
Meyer
Anne
A
Wiebe
Deborah
D
D000268:Adhesiveness; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D020724:Elastomers / Q000737:chemistry*; D004852:Epoxy Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D005431:Florida; D008422:Materials Testing; D013499:Surface Properties; D001468:Thoracica / Q000502:physiology*
D004129:Dimethylpolysiloxanes; D020724:Elastomers; D004852:Epoxy Compounds