Structure–property correlations of foul release coatings based on low hard segment content poly(dimethylsiloxane–urethane–urea)

We report the foul release characteristics of model poly(dimethylsiloxane–urethane–urea) (PDMSPU)-based coatings with a relatively lower hard segment content of 9 to 13.7 wt%. The PDMSPUs were prepared by facile moisture curing of isophorone diisocyanate-capped hydroxyalkyl-terminated PDMS. The surface free energies of the coatings were tuned (20–25 mJ/m²) by varying the hard segment content to be in the minimum adhesive regime (20–30 mJ/m²) of Baier’s curve pertaining to the relative amount of biofouling vs the critical surface tension of various chemical substrates. A series of complimentary analytical tools, namely ¹H NMR spectroscopy, small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS), FTIR-attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR), contact angle goniometry, marine field tests, and quantitative biofouling adhesion in shear, have been employed to deduce several physicochemical parameters of importance to establish the structure property correlations. Further, the time-dependant changes in surface wettability and surface concentration of polar functional groups of the coatings (immersed in 3.5 wt% aqueous solution of NaCl) were investigated by FTIR-ATR and contact angle goniometry. The extent of surface restructuring was found to increase with increasing hard segment content of the PDMSPUs and consequently increasing attachment strengths of macrofoulants with the coatings, which were in the range 0.12–0.5 MPa.     

Coating of jute with natural rubber

Jute fabric was coated with natural rubber to develop double‐texture rubberized waterproof fabric and fabric‐reinforced rubber sheeting for hospitals. The vulcanization of such natural‐rubber‐coated flexible composites at 120°C for 3 h produced optimum effects. The jute/natural‐rubber composite was much superior to a conventional polyester/natural‐rubber composite for producing such double‐texture rubberized fabric with respect to the fabric‐to‐natural‐rubber adhesion, breaking strength, tear strength, abrasion resistance, puncture resistance, and biodegradability. For fabric‐reinforced rubberized sheeting, the jute/natural‐rubber composite was superior to a conventionally used cotton/natural‐rubber composite with respect to the fabric‐to‐natural‐rubber adhesion, breaking strength, tear strength, and abrasion resistance. However, for both applications, the jute‐based products were commonly found to be less extensible, heavier, and thicker. Unsaturation in the lignin fraction of jute established a chemical linkage with the unsaturation of natural rubber via sulfur at the jute/natural‐rubber interface. An examination of the surface morphology of uncoated and coated jute fabrics by scanning electron microscopy revealed a good degree of deposition and filling even in the intercellular regions of jute by a cohesive mass of natural rubber, which remained unseparated from the fiber, when mechanical force was applied. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 98: 484–489, 2005     

Coatings of PDMS-modified epoxy via urethane linkage: Segmental correlation length,phase morphology,thermomechanical and surface behavior

Modification of an aliphatic epoxy resin with silicone was carried out through urethane route. Hydroxy-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (HTPDMS) was reacted with toluene diisocyanate to form an isocyanate-capped prepolymer. The –NCO group of the prepolymer was further reacted with –OH group of an aliphatic epoxy adipate resin, obtained by reaction of adipic acid with an epoxy resin, to obtain silicone-modified epoxy resin. Silicone-modified epoxy resins containing 15 and 30 wt% of silicone prepolymer have been synthesized by this procedure. TGA analysis of the silicone-modified epoxy resin showed considerable improvement in thermal stability over the unmodified epoxy resin. Modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC) was used to find the segmental correlation length of the silicone-modified polymers. The cured films of silicone-modified resins showed biphasic morphology as evidenced from scanning electron microscopy. Further, the thermomechanical property of the samples was investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis. The surface properties of the silicone-modified matrices were studied by atomic force microscopy and contact angle goniometry. The silicone-modified samples showed considerably lower surface energy, surface roughness and contact angle hysteresis compared to the unmodified resins.