Fouling Release Coating Consisting of Hyperbranched Poly(ε-caprolactone)/Siloxane Elastomer

Fouling release coatings generally consisting of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer cannot renew their surface and exhibit poor antifouling ability under static conditions. In this study, we have prepared a biodegradable network based on hyperbranched poly­(ε-caprolactone) (h-PCL) and siloxane via esterification reaction and condensation. The network with PCL segments is able to biodegrade in a marine environment as a function of the degree of branching and the content of ester, forming a dynamic surface to inhibit the adhesion of marine biofouling. Meanwhile, the low crystallinity and chemical cross-linking make the network yield an elastic surface. The presence of siloxane increases the surface smoothness and reduces the surface energy of elastomer. As revealed by a pseudobarnacle removal test, the elastomer has fouling release performance. With a dynamic surface and fouling release ability, the biodegradable elastomer coating is promising to be an environment-friendly antifouling coating.