Hydrophilic Self-Replenishing Coatings with Long-Term Water Stability for Anti-Fouling Applications

Coatings which are immersed or permanently in contact with water will inevitably accumulate organisms on their surface, i.e., bio-fouling will take place. This phenomenon is of major relevance in many application fields. In marine coatings, for example, the accumulation of fouling leads to an increased drag resistance and higher fuel consumption. Furthermore, it requires frequent maintenance and dry-dock repair which have a highly negative environmental and economic impact.