Ultralow Fouling Surfaces from Self-Assembly of Copolymers with Sticky Biomimic Functional Groups

Abstract

In this work, a new strategy for preparing antifouling surfaces by a simple dip-coating procedure is reported. Copolymers containing catechol and antifouling pendant side groups were synthesized via the free radical polymerization of a catechol-containing methacrylate monomer N-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) ethyl methacrylamide and three kinds of antifouling monomers separately using α,α’-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator. These copolymers can assemble onto variety of materials surfaces including metals, oxides, and polymers such as PTFE using catechol groups via multivalent complex bonding. The catechol groups are helpful for adhesion of the copolymers onto the surfaces, while the other side chains endow the coatings with antifouling activity. Modification on the substrates with copolymers were verified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the images of microalgaes and zoospores setting on the substrates were taken by microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The copolymer-coated surfaces, especially the surface modified by copolymer with 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium salt (SPMA(K)), displayed excellent antifouling activity and fouling-release properties in settlement assay with microalgaes and zoospores.