Layer-by-layer-assembled biomimetic microstructure surface with multiple synergistic antifouling performance

With the ecological crisis and serious problems of marine biofouling, the bionic antifouling strategy of natural organisms is explored for the construction of antifouling coating and replacement of the traditional toxic antifouling coating. In this work, inspired by Laminaria japonica's ability to inhibit marine fouling by the combination with physical micromorphology, chemical composition and bioactive substances, a novel PDMS-based antifouling coating with multiple synergistic antifouling properties is fabricated by layer by layer (LbL) self-assembly method. Firstly, the natural active substance (capsaicin) is introduced into the nanocapsule by the microemulsion method (CAP@CS). Subsequently, the nanocapsules are stably deposited on PDMS surface modified by the guanidine-hexamethylenediamine-PEI / sodium alginate (GHPEI/ALG)*n films through LbL assembly method to prepare the (GHPEI/ALG-CAP@CS-x)*n films with multiple antifouling properties. Our study indicates that this biomimetic surface has excellent antifouling ability against bacteria (99.2 ± 0.6 %) and diatoms (0.08 ± 0.05 %), which proves the great potential applications of this synergistic antifouling strategy demonstrated in marine engineering in the future.