Biofouling is an urgent problem that has to be solved in marine industries. As the traditional antifouling coating loses its antifouling ability after being damaged, the introduction of self-healing performance into the antifouling coating becomes a high priority. Accordingly, we report here a self-healing and antifouling polyurethane composite coating (PCL/MPU-Si/M) with the use of its carbonyl groups as multiple hydrogen bond acceptors. Its fabrication is carried out under mild and solvent-free conditions, forming a "cross-linking" network structure composed of alternately strong and weak bonds based on multiple carbonyl groups. The self-healing efficiency of PCL/MPU-Si/M in tensile strength is 85% after 48 h at room temperature, and higher temperatures can accelerate this self-healing process. Lubricant polydimethylsiloxane and antifoulant medetomidine endow the material with antifouling properties. The maximum antibacterial ability and algae inhibition coverage ability are 91.7 and 90.9%, respectively. This work provides a possible perspective for the design of antifouling and self-healing marine coatings.
Keywords: antifouling; hydrogen bond; polydimethylsiloxane; polyurethane; self-healing.