Properties and antifouling performance of fabricated polymers containing copper thiocyanate

Fouling of subsurface structures by micro and macro-organisms is a centuries-old problem that can be better managed by the use of multi-functional materials and modern fabrication techniques. Copper(I) thiocyanate, or CuTC, is a common coordination polymer that reduces the adherence and growth of marine organisms on underwater surfaces used as a paint additive. Test samples of polymers that contained up to 20% (w/w) CuTC were fabricated using two methods: a two-part epoxy system, cast into moulds and cured at room temperature; and stereolithography, a 3-D printing technique that uses UV light to set designs additively manufactured from a single part urethane resin. Fabricated materials were extensively characterised by advanced X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and polarised synchrotron Fourier transform infrared (S-FTIR) microspectroscopy, which together revealed distinct molecular networking structures within the added chemical biocide that depended on the manufacturing method used. Performance was tested over a 3-month deployment, which showed marked differences in the effectiveness of the fabricated material types in resisting fouling by aquatic organisms in a static estuarine environment. These differences are attributable to distinct physical and chemical properties of the test materials imparted upon them by the fabrication method, all of which are areas for further investigation in the development of manufactured fouling-resistant polymers for use in marine environments.