title: A comparison between different fouling-release elastomer coatings containing surface-active polymers.
abstract: Surface-active polymers derived from styrene monomers containing siloxane (S), fluoroalkyl (F) and/or ethoxylated (E) side chains were blended with an elastomer matrix, either poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) or poly(styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene) (SEBS), and spray-coated on top of PDMS or SEBS preformed films. By contact angle and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements, it was found that the surface-active polymer preferentially populated the outermost layers of the coating, despite its low content in the blend. However, the self-segregation process and the response to the external environment strongly depended on both the chemistry of the polymer and the type of matrix used for the blend. Additionally, mechanical testing showed that the elastic modulus of SEBS-based coatings was one order of magnitude higher than that of the corresponding PDMS-based coatings. The coatings were subjected to laboratory bioassays with the marine alga Ulva linza. PDMS-based coatings had superior fouling-release properties compared to the SEBS-based coatings.
authors.affiliation: a Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale and UdR Pisa INSTM , Università di Pisa , Pisa , Italy.
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Yasani
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Glisenti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mieszkin
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Callow
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Callow
mesh_terms: D057219:Biofouling; D020724:Elastomers / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013500:Surface Tension; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D044445:Ulva / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D020724:Elastomers; D011108:Polymers; D013501:Surface-Active Agents