Synthesis, formulation, and characterization of siloxane–polyurethane coatings for underwater marine applications using combinatorial high-throughput experimentation

Crosslinked siloxane-polyurethane coatings were designed, synthesized, formulated, applied, and characterized using combinatorial high-throughput experimentation and eight coatings were selected as candidates for further characterization. First, 72 novel hydroxyalkyl carbamate and dihydroxyalkyl carbamate-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) oligomers and their carbamate-linked block copolymers with poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) were synthesized using a high-throughput synthesis system. These PDMS oligomers and block copolymers were characterized for their molecular weight using high-throughput Gel Permeation Chromatography (Rapid-GPC). The 72 oligomers were then incorporated into siloxane-polyurethane formulations at four different levels resulting in 288 coatings. After initial screening of these 288 coatings, eight coatings were selected for further characterization. Differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and surface energy analysis demonstrate the presence of PDMS on the surface with a polyurethane underlayer. Pseudo-barnacle adhesion and the attachment strength of reattached live barnacles (Balanus amphitrite) were in good agreement. Out of the eight coatings that were down-selected, two coatings performed well in algal (Ulva), bacterial (Cytophaga lytica, Halomonas pacifica), and barnacle (Balanus amphitrite) laboratory screening assays and are potential candidates for ocean testing.