Nanometer-thin
coatings of polyhydroquinone (PHQ), which release
and absorb protons upon oxidation and reduction, respectively, were
tested for electrochemically induced anti-biofouling activity under
the hypothesis that a dynamic pH environment would discourage fouling.
Antifouling tests in artificial seawater using the marine, biofilm-forming
bacterium
Vibrio alginolyticus
proved
the coatings to be ineffective in fouling prevention but revealed
a deceiving artifact from the reactive species generated at the counter
electrode (CE), even for electrochemical bias potentials as low as
|400| mV versus Ag|AgCl. These findings provide valuable information
on the preparation of nanothin PHQ coatings and their electrochemical
behavior in artificial seawater. The results further demonstrate that
it is critical to isolate the CE in electrochemical anti-biofouling
testing.