Surface-fragmenting, self-polishing, tin-free antifouling coatings

Surface-fragmenting types of self-polishing tin-free resins were characterized by IR and NMR and demonstrated the successful synthesis of cupric carboxylate. According to the IR, ¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR measurements, it is clear that the unsaturated double bonds present in the resins changed into other new bonds after drying in a manner similar to alkyd resins. These resins were used as binders to prepare antifouling paints. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), rotary tests, raft tests, and ship tests were used to investigate the self-polishing phenomena and the antifouling ability of this type of antifouling paint. The SEM photographs obtained from the paint surfaces demonstrate self-polishing phenomena. From the rotary tests, the polishing rates of paints were measured as 10 μ to approximately 5.7 μ/month. The results from the raft tests show that all of the paints exhibit excellent antifouling ability and are about 80 to approximately 90% as effective as the conventional tin-containing antifouling paints.