Epoxy Coatings Enhanced with Copper Oxide Nanocontainers Loaded with Antifouling Agents

摘要

Epoxy coatings incorporating copper(l) oxide nanocontainers loaded with two types of antifouling agents (biocides) were deposited via dip coating method onto AA 2024-T3 and Hot Dip Galvanized Steel to investigate the settle/grow of fouling organisms. Coatings with non loaded nanocontainers also examined for comparison reasons in order to understand the role of biocide and CU_2O nanocontainers respectively. Fouling organisms failed to settle/grow in coated samples for at least one month of exposure time in sea during summer time when control installations became heavily fouled. Laboratory tests established that there was an antifouling action of samples due to the dissolution of copper, which was enhanced by the presence of antifouling agent. Additionally, the anticorrosive properties of the films were also tested by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. The results showed that total impedance value is still increased even long exposure time in corrosive environment. Results with other type nanocontainers with respect to anticorrosion performance into the above coating will also be discussed.