Marine biofouling remains a persistent challenge in maritime industries, leading to increased drag, corrosion, and operational costs. Traditional antifouling coatings rely on single mechanisms—either killing fouling organisms or resisting their adhesion—which often fail under dynamic marine conditions due to surface contamination or degradation. To overcome these limitations, this study introduces a novel hydrophobic hyperbranched polymer coating that integrates three synergistic functions: “kill,” “resist,” and “renew” into a unified system. The design is based on a dual-functional monomer, tertiary carboxybetaine ester acrylate bearing the antifouling group N-(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)maleimide (TCB-TCPM), copolymerized with methacrylic anhydride via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. This process yields a degradable hyperbranched structure with tunable branching density.
Upon exposure to seawater, the TCB-TCPM groups undergo hydrolysis, releasing TCPM—a potent biocide that kills adhered bacteria through contact-killing. Simultaneously, the hydrolysis generates zwitterionic carboxybetaine groups, which confer strong resistance to protein adsorption and bacterial adhesion. This transformation from a hydrophobic “attacking” surface to a hydrophilic “defending” surface occurs spontaneously at the interface, maintaining the mechanical integrity of the coating matrix.107724-20-9 Synonym Furthermore, the cleavable nature of the methacrylic anhydride units enables controlled degradation of the polymer backbone into short oligomeric fragments, facilitating self-renewal and release of accumulated organic and inorganic debris. This dynamic surface renewal eliminates the need for external stimuli such as pH or temperature changes, making the system highly suitable for long-term marine applications.129298-91-5 supplier
The degradation rate of the polymer increases with the degree of branching, as confirmed by 1H NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC).PMID:35100915 Coatings with higher branching content exhibit faster mass loss in artificial seawater (ASW), yet retain excellent adhesion strength and pencil hardness even after prolonged immersion. Surface morphology analysis reveals increasing roughness over time, correlating with progressive fragmentation. Contact angle measurements show a significant shift from hydrophobic (90°) to hydrophilic (45°) after hydrolysis, confirming the emergence of zwitterionic character. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) results demonstrate markedly reduced fibrinogen adsorption post-hydrolysis, underscoring the enhanced anti-adhesive performance.
Antibacterial assays using *Pseudomonas* sp. confirm sustained antifouling activity. Live/dead staining shows minimal bacterial attachment after hydrolysis, while pre-hydrolyzed samples exhibit high killing efficiency. The combined “attack-resist-release” mechanism ensures both immediate bactericidal action and long-term protection. This work presents a breakthrough in antifouling technology by achieving a self-regenerating, multifunctional coating with no reliance on toxic leaching agents. The strategy offers a sustainable, durable solution for marine applications, paving the way for next-generation smart coatings resistant to biofilm formation and environmental stress.MedChemExpress (MCE) offers a wide range of high-quality research chemicals and biochemicals (novel life-science reagents, reference compounds and natural compounds) for scientific use. We have professionally experienced and friendly staff to meet your needs. We are a competent and trustworthy partner for your research and scientific projects.Related websites: https://www.medchemexpress.com
