Underwater Marine Coatings: A Detailed Examination of Elastomeric Antifouling Materials after Marine Immersion

摘要

Elastomeric antifouling materials based on tributyltin compounds (tributyltin fluoride, tributyltin acetate or bis(tributyltin oxide)) dispersed in natural, polychloroprene or butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber have been examined after marine immersion for periods extending up to two years. Results have been obtained for changes in mechanical properties, release rates of organotin toxics, biological fouling on the surfaces and micrographic structure of the surface. An attempt has been made to relate the performance of these materials to the marine chemistry of the seawater at the two immersion sites at Garden Island (Sydney) and Williamstown (Melbourne). Factors which affect the performance of elastomeric coatings containing tributyltin compounds as additives are discussed. For long effective life, the release rate of the organotin toxic must be reduced to the minimum active value, by choosing the appropriate combination of organotin and elastomer; promising results have been obtained after two years immersion with natural or polychloroprene rubber containing 10% by weight of tributyltin fluoride and also with butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber containing 10% by weight of tributyltin acetate. (Author)