Study on the acrylate coating with chemically bonded functional group for antiseawater bioadhesion

The adhesion foundation of seawater organisms can be eliminated by killing the bacteria on the surface of objects in seawater. Thus, 4-bromo-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-pyrrole-3-carbonitrile (Econea) was selected as the core functional group to conduct the solution grafting reaction with the epoxy-containing acrylate copolymer (EA) to yield the marine antifouling paint, EA–Econea. UV absorption spectrum, Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FTIR) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) analyses verified that Econea was exactly bonded to the EA molecular chain. Furthermore, the antibacterial test, confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM), and antifouling experiments confirmed that when the mass fraction of Econea in the reaction reaches 0.5%, the coating affords 99.9% antibacterial effect on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The Econea and EA molecular chain combination cannot be easily broken, which lays the foundation for the long-term antifouling performance of the coating. A stainless steel plate coated with EA–Econea was immersed in a river rich in microorganisms for two months, and the plate was not contaminated.