A Strategy for Preparing Antifouling PET Fibers

Marine biofouling adversely affects the operational performance of marine infrastructure. A promising solution to this challenge involves fabricating PET fibers with inherent antifouling properties via chemical bonding. Inspired by the design concept that zwitterionic structures can form highly ordered hydration layers via electrostatic interactions, thereby reducing foulant adhesion, this study proposes a strategy for developing marine antifouling PET fibers. By grafting primary amine-terminated sulfobetaine onto PET fibers, grafted fibers with antifouling capabilities were obtained. Laser scanning confocal microscopy was used to examine the adhesion of algae and proteins on the fiber surfaces. The results demonstrated that the grafted fibers exhibited significant resistance to algal and protein attachment, along with effective antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus . Furthermore, colorimetric crystal violet assays confirmed the inhibitory effect of the grafted fibers on biofilm formation. The development of this novel antifouling PET fibers offer a potential approach to addressing biofouling issues in deep-sea aquaculture cages. Highlights PET fibers are dopamine-treated to add reactive surface sites. Sulfated betaine was grafted onto fibers via its N-terminal amine. Grafted fibers resist adhesion by bacteria, proteins, and algae.