Abstract
A synthesis route to hydrophilic, biocide-free fouling-release coatings by dispersing a polydimethyl siloxane (silicone, PDMS)-polyethylene glycol (PEG) copolymer in a PDMS coating is described. In comparison to known coatings including commercial fouling release for marine vessels, anti-fouling and fouling release performance was investigated by laboratory tests (contact angle, pseudo barnacle test and bacteria culture test applying Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and by application on fresh water-cooled surface condensers mimicking conditions of thermal power plants. A developmental silicone coating comprising PEG reduced fouling growth and adhesion in laboratory tests by more than a factor of ten compared to steel. In a freshwater exposure test, a comparative, commercial fouling release coating performed better than the developmental PEG-PDMS coating and is a promising candidate for applications on surface condensers of thermal power plants as it reduces fouling at a flow rate of just 1.6 m/s.
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