Antifouling Performance of Cellulose Acetate Films Based on a New Benzoxazine Derivative

Abstract

Fouling is an industrial problem that affects the maritime sector, and it has caused damages to equipment and vessels used in this industry. This research focuses on the synthesis of a novel arylidene‐based benzoxazine compound (HBC) and its use as a modifier for cellulose acetate (CA) matrix to form film samples and the investigation of their antifouling efficacy. The HBC compound was synthesized from a bis(arylidene)cyclopentanone diol compound and characterized appropriately using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic methods, respectively. Different weight ratios: 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 %w/w of HBC to CA were mixed to give the films; CA‐0, CA‐10, CA‐20, CA‐30, and CA‐40, respectively. The fabricated films were characterized by FTIR analysis, and their morphology was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The thermal stability of the films was also studied using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), while the antifouling performance of the films was tested against strains of natural, biofilm‐forming bacteria isolated from artificial nets submerged in the Red Sea. Biofilm inhibitory test and bactericidal assay were conducted on the fabricated film materials using well established standard methods. The results of this investigation indicate that the HBC modified CA films contain relevant bioactive molecules that can inhibit primary colonizers in biofouling formation and will make a good antifouling coating film candidate. The CA‐40 revealed an inhibitory activity of 37 % and a bacterial killing efficacy of 87 %.