Durable siloxane-polyurethane coatings for mitigating freshwater mussel fouling

Siloxane-polyurethane hybrid coatings were assessed for biofouling control caused by freshwater mussels. Invasive species such as zebra (Dreissena polymorpha) and quagga (Dreissena bugensis) mussels have rapidly spread through the waterways in the United States causing major concerns in reservoir infrastructure and freshwater lakes. Current coating solutions such as biocidal anti-fouling coatings are not suitable given the released biocides which may accumulate in reservoirs. Biocide free fouling release coatings based on silicone elastomers do not have adequate mechanical durability. The siloxane-polyurethane (SiPU) coatings were evaluated using model organism laboratory assays and real-life performance was evaluated in the freshwater field environment. Two coating compositions displayed excellent performance in field trials for up to 2+ years. The surface analysis experiments of the coatings indicate that the morphology of the coatings is affected by the formulations' solvent choice. These coatings show great promise in mitigating biofouling predominated by freshwater mussels.