Description

PROBLEM BEING SOLVED

Marine biofouling is a worldwide problem, costing billions of dollars per year in transportation. Traditional biocide-based marine antifouling coatings, although very effective, have severe negative impact on the environment due to the release of toxic biocides, while fail to comply with the future European and International regulations. Furthermore, the available 3rd generation fouling release paints based on crosslinked polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) exhibit low mechanical strength and scratch resistance, while in some cases they fail to prevent effectively at low operational speeds (8-10 knots). The proposed nanocomposite fouling release epoxy-based coatings addresses the challenges of environmental toxicity and mechanical weakness in antifouling coatings, providing effective fouling release and micro slime layer control properties, and compliance with regulations, while offering improved mechanical strength and fuel savings.

METHOD USED

The invention proposes new nanocomposite material with increased fouling release performance. Paints are prepared by simple, two component mixing: one epoxy resin and one appropriately modified commercially available hardener. Hardeners modified with hydrophobic functionalised nanoparticles based on symmetric or asymmetric hyperbranched dendrimers or hyperbranched dendritic polymer and inorganic nanoparticles refer to metal nanoparticles or metal oxide nanoparticles and their combinations. Both polymeric and inorganic nanoparticles are functionalized with appropriate lipophilic groups.

ADVANTAGES

Increased fouling release performance, easiness of the synthesis, improved mechanical performance and scratch resistance compared to current fouling release, decreased fuel consumption of about, improved durability (up to 3 years) and longer periods between cleaning/repainting.