Environmentally Friendly Antifouling Coatings Based on Biodegradable Polymer and Natural Antifoulant

Marine biofouling causes huge economic losses and serious problems to maritime industries. Consequently, there is a great demand for environmentally friendly antibiofouling technology. In the present study, we developed novel antifouling coatings by incorporating butenolide derived from marine bacteria into biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone) based polyurethane. Measurements of mass loss indicated that the polymer was degraded in seawater and that the degradation rate increased in the presence of marine organisms or enzymes. Moreover, measured release rates indicated that butenolide could be released from the biodegradable polymer for at least 3 months and the release rate depended on both the concentration of butenolide and the temperature. Incorporating a naturally occurring resin (rosin) into the biodegradable polymer increased the self-renewal rate and improved the later release rate of butenolide. The field test indicated that the system had excellent antifouling properties.