Biomimetic Three-Arm Antifouling Coating with High Adhesion and Self-Healing Properties for Marine Optical Windows
Haibin Zhao, Xuerui Zang, Yuanyuan Shen, Ming Tan, Peng Wang, Jiajia Wu
Abstract
High transparency and durable antifouling surfaces are crucial for Marine applications. However, achieving a long-lasting marine coating that combines both antifouling properties and high transmittance remains a significant challenge. In this study, we present a novel high-adhesion, self-healing Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous Surface (SLIPS) antifouling coating with a unique three-arm structure, designed from a poly(dimethylsiloxane) supramolecular polymer, inspired by the design of natural spider webs. This structure leverages multistrength dynamic hydrogen bonds, including a quadruple hydrogen bond motif, the 2-ureido-4-pyrimidinone (UPy) unit. The three-arm structure enhances adhesion by providing additional binding sites, which facilitate interactions with interfacial groups through the dynamic rearrangement of UPy units. Importantly, the coating exhibits enhanced chain mobility due to the placement of UPy units on the side chains, resulting in a self-healing efficiency of 80% after 24 h in underwater environments. This performance is substantially higher than that of coatings with UPy units in the main chain, which achieve only 30% efficiency. Furthermore, the prepared coating not only exhibited improved transparency (∼93.9%) but also demonstrated flexibility, antifouling properties, and resistance to biological contamination. The design strategy presents a promising solution for manufacturing multifunctional materials with tailored features and intricate structures. These materials demonstrate strong self-cleaning and antifouling properties, suitable for use in harsh conditions, including applications like self-cleaning windows and optical sensor protection.