Surface and Fouling-Release Properties of Silicone/Organomodified Montmorillonite Coatings

Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)/organomodified montmorillonite (OMMT) nanocomposites have been prepared, characterised and the fouling-release properties of these materials have been studied through laboratory assays involving a representative soft-fouling species, the green alga, Ulva. The bulk mechanical properties of the polymer matrix have been slightly changed by the addition of OMMT, i.e., to a higher Young's modulus value. The surface properties of the nanocomposites were modified after immersion in water. Indeed, it appears that the surface topography, as observed with AFM, is affected by the presence of OMMT after immersion in water. The data indicate that the modified surface affects the fouling release behaviour of sporelings (young plants) of Ulva; percentage removal by hydrodynamic shear stress increases from 28% for the unfilled PDMS control to 78% for the 2 wt% filled coating.