South China University of Technology has developed a series of biodegradable polymer-based anti-fouling materials

Professor Zhang Guangzhao and Professor Ma Chunfeng of South China University of Technology have carried out a series of work on the topic of "environmentally friendly marine anti-fouling materials", which is related to the country's major strategic needs. A new path of "degradation and anti-fouling" was proposed internationally, a series of biodegradable polymer-based anti-fouling materials were developed and were first successful in marine experiments (J. Mater. Chem. B 2013, 1, 3099; J Mater Chem B 2014, 2, 5100; ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2014, 6, 4017; Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.2014, 53, 12753;Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2016, 55, 11495; Polymer 2016, 90, 215; Prog. Org. Coat.2017, 104, 58; China Invention Patent: ZL201210504951.3; ZL 201210507116.5; ZL 201210218712.1)。
has designed and prepared biodegradable polyurethanes with excellent electrometric properties and controlled degradation rates, main chain degradation-side chain hydrolysed polyurethanes, and biodegradable polymer materials with anti-fouling function, etc., and the idea of "degradation and anti-fouling" has twice been highlighted by European Coatings. The series of materials can be degraded by the main chain to continuously update the surface to achieve anti-fouling purposes, and because the degradation product is non-toxic small molecules, to avoid marine plastic pollution.
Marine Biovilling refers to the growth of marine microorganisms and plants on the surface of hulls or marine facilities, which has many adverse effects on marine shipping and the exploration, exploitation and utilization of marine resources. According to incomplete statistics, the world's annual economic losses caused by marine pollution reached tens of billions of dollars.
pollution of marine life has become one of the technical bottlenecks restricting the development of marine economy and maintaining the safety of sea defense, and it is an urgent problem to be solved in the field of marine industry at home and abroad. Organo tin-killing materials are effective anti-fouling coatings, which have been banned for damaging marine ecology. The development of environmentally friendly marine anti-fouling materials is the most important direction for the future.Figure 1. Main chain degradation - side chain hydrolytic anti-fouling material structure and its marine hanging plate experiment In particular, the team for the traditional self-polishing anti-fouling resin exists in a series of problems, such as self-polishing depends on the movement of the ship and the surrounding sea water flushing, can not meet the requirements of static anti-fouling; The synergy of polymer hydrolytic and dissolved is difficult to control; Polymers do not degrade, the formation of "marine plastic waste" and so on, the international first preparation of the main chain degradation type self-polishing anti-fouling polymer, the development of innovative traditional self-polishing materials an effective way (Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2015, 54, 9559; China Invention Patent: ZL201310314516.9; ZL 201210543983.4; PCT International Patent: WO2015010390A1; U.S. Patent: US20160185913).。 Figure 2. The main chain degradation type self-polishing anti-fouling polymer structure and its degradation anti-fouling schematic The material has excellent environmentally friendly, dynamic static anti-fouling properties. At present has completed 500 liter expansion trial production, and in a series of marine coatings companies to promote the use. Anti-fouling coating based on this resin has also achieved 3 years of ocean hanging board results, so as to meet the low-speed ships, submarines anti-fouling requirements, to solve the long-term monopoly of such materials by foreign countries to lay the foundation.At the same time, the achievement successfully broke through the existing self-polishing anti-fouling polymer synthesis and application technology, for the development of new Wuxi self-polishing anti-fouling materials with independent intellectual property rights, accelerate the development of anti-fouling technology in China's ships has a driving role and important economic significance.。 Figure 3. Main chain degradation self-polishing anti-fouling polymer expansion production (500 kg class), marine experiments (left for control samples, right main chain degradation type self-polishing anti-fouling coating) and solid ship coating