Photocurable Amphiphilic Perfluoropolyether/Poly(ethylene glycol) Networks for Fouling-Release Coatings

Abstract

We demonstrate a facile way of cross-linking hydrophobic perfluoropolyethers, PFPEs, with a series of hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol)s, PEGs, to prepare a range of amphiphilic networks for use as fouling-release coatings. The PFPE matrix of the networks endows the coating with a low surface energy while the PEG is added to weaken fouling adhesion. It is therefore envisioned that the coating surfaces of these optically transparent and mechanically robust films will display hydrophobicity leading to nonfouling and fouling release characteristics. Two kinds of functionalized PEG oligomers have been cross-linked with reactive, dimethacryloxy-functionalized PFPE oligomers to form a range of amphiphilic networks: (i) a monomethacryloxy-functionalized PEG macromonomer (454 g/mol) (PEG454-MA) which was used to yield blends with flexible PEG chains on the surface as well as in bulk and (ii) a dimethacryloxy-functionalized PEG (550 g/mol) (PEG550-DMA) which results in PEG chains that are relatively more restricted in the network blends and serve as an added difunctional cross-linker for the network along with the dimethacryloxy-functionalized PFPE. The PFPE/PEG cross-linked networks coated on a substrate show very low swelling characteristics in water when PEG454-MA comprises not more than 10 wt % of the overall composition or when PEG550-DMA is used and does not comprise more than 30 wt % of the overall composition. The PFPE/PEG454-MA coatings having PEG chains with one untethered chain end were found to display relatively high spore and barnacle release performance in comparison to PFPE/PEG550-DMA coatings which have the PEG chains in a more restricted network topology.

Fluorinated Oligomers and Polymers in Photopolymerization

“…169 As expected, the PFPE counterpart of the networks induced a low surface energy of the coating, while the PEG's contribution brought the antifouling character. The coating surfaces of these optically transparent and mechanically robust resulting films displayed hydrophobicity and led to nonfouling and foulingrelease characteristics.…”

“…Rev. XXXX, XXX, XXX−XXX As mentioned in section 5.1, the cross-linking of PFPEs reported by DeSimone's team 169 with a series of hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol)s enabled the preparation of a range of amphiphilic networks for use as fouling-release coatings. Other examples of antifouling photopolymer coatings are reported in the literature.…”

Design of intelligent surfaces for energy intensive processing industry

“…These surfaces have been particularly applied to investigations surrounding marine related fouling. Examples of amphiphilic materials included: branched fluro-polymers with polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains [62,63]; perfluroethylene and PEG [64]; polysolfone-graft-poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate [65]. One issue is that many of these materials contain fluro-polymers that are present in the form of long perfluroalkyl chains, which can degrade to form toxic perfluroalkyl acids [7].…”

Temperature‐dependent phase‐segregation behavior and antifouling performance of UV‐curable methacrylated PDMS/PEG coatings

“…It should be noted that glass slides for coatings in protein adsorption tests and antibacterial assays were modified by presynthesized N-(3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl)acrylamide (TSPA) 24 to establish covalent linkage between films and substrates; that is, the slides were first boiled in piranha solution Si-NMR spectra were obtained using an AVANCE III HD 400 MHz spectrometer (Bruker BioSpin International, Swiss) with a coaxial insert tube containing CDCl 3 as the solvent and tetramethylsilane as the internal reference.…”