Synthesis of Amphiphilic Acrylate Boron Fluorinated Polymers with Antifouling Behavior

We constructed two kinds of amphiphilic acrylate boron fluorinated polymers (ABFPs) with backbones comprising acrylate fluorinated polymers (AFPs) and side chains comprising hydrolyzable pyridine-phenylborane functional groups. We determined the hydrolysis rates of the ABFPs by measuring their weight loss ratios. The ABFPs with shorter fluorinated side chains had higher rates of hydrolysis. We investigated and confirmed the amphiphilic and antifouling behavior of the ABFPs, using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and surface wettability analyses. During immersion for 90 days in the Bohai Sea of China, the ABFP coatings exhibited good antifouling performance. We also assessed the environmental characteristics of the ABFP coatings by determining the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and growth rate of diatoms on their surfaces. The present study provides new insight into the development of environmentally friendly ABFPs with desirable antifouling properties.