BLOCK COPOLYMER MORPHOLOGY TRAPPING IN THIN FILMS USING LOW TEMPERATURE TREATMENT AND ANNEALING FOR INHIBITION OF MARINE ORGANISM ATTACHMENT TO SURFACES

摘要

The present invention provides block copolymer films for application to surfaces exposed to marine environments in order to reduce biofouling of surfaces immersed in the marine environment. The present invention provides a method of fabricating block copolymer films using morphology trapping by lower temperature treatment in conjunction with solvent and or temperature annealing. The present invention inhibits the attachment of marine organisms, but it does not kill the organisms nor is it highly toxic. Cross-linked AB diblock or higher block copolymers, where A and B and any additional blocks if present have different hydrophobicity i.e. A is hydrophobic and B is hydrophilic, mixed with a photo-initiator films that preserve their nanosize domains when immersed in water. The block copolymer films inhibit settlement of marine organisms and can be used as marine antifouling coatings.