Amphiphilic Alginates for Marine Antifouling Applications

Biomacromolecules. 2018 Feb 12;19(2):402-408. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.7b01498. Epub 2018 Jan 16.

Abstract

Amphiphilic polymers are promising candidates for novel fouling-release coatings for marine applications. We grafted amphiphilic alginates with fluorinated side chains to glass and silicon substrates and characterized the obtained films by contact angle goniometry, spectroscopic ellipsometry, XPS, and ATR-FTIR. The potential to inhibit protein attachment was tested against four different proteins, and intermediate fluorine loadings showed the strongest reduction with respect to hydrophobic, aliphatic controls. A similar trend was observed in dynamic attachment experiments using Navicula perminuta diatoms and settlement experiments with zoospores of the green algae Ulva linza. The results indicate that amphiphilic alginates are promising natural and renewable biomacromolecules that could be included in future protective coating technologies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alginates / chemistry*
  • Alginates / pharmacology
  • Aquatic Organisms / drug effects
  • Biofouling / prevention & control*
  • Diatoms / drug effects
  • Fluorine / chemistry
  • Glass / chemistry
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Silicon / chemistry
  • Surface-Active Agents / chemistry*
  • Surface-Active Agents / pharmacology
  • Ulva / drug effects

Substances

  • Alginates
  • Surface-Active Agents
  • Fluorine
  • Silicon