Fluorescent zinc acrylate resins containing coumarin structures with enhanced antifouling performance

Abstract

The demand for non-toxic antifouling coatings has led to the development of multifunctional antifouling coatings. In this work, a series of coumarin acids with fluorescence were first prepared via the Knoevenagel condensation reaction. Then, multifunctional zinc acrylate resins were produced successfully by employing an acrylic acid monomer, ZnO, and coumarin acids by free radical polymerization and polycondensation processes. The self-polishing and antifouling properties of the resins were investigated by dynamic simulation experiments, E. coli growth inhibition experiments, algae adhesion inhibition experiments, and marine environment antifouling experiments. The results show that the zinc acrylate resins containing the coumarin structures not only have good self-polishing performance but also have better antifouling performances than the zinc acrylate resin containing benzoic acid. This work not only reveals the antifouling mechanism of the multifunctional resins, but also provides a new strategy for the development of environmentally friendly antifouling coatings.