Provided is a graft copolymer and a treatment method which give excellent antifouling property to a substrate, especially a carpet. The graft copolymer has a trunk polymer having a hydroxyl group; and a branch having a C.sub.7-40 hydrocarbon group bonded to the trunk polymer at a carbon atom substituted with the hydroxyl group, wherein the branch has a repeating unit formed from an acrylic monomer represented by the formula: CH.sub.2C(X)C(O)YZ(Y.sup.2R).sub.n. The treatment method include applying the graft copolymer to the substrate.

The invention is directed to curable polyurethane coating compositions which may be used to form fouling release coatings, e.g., for use in protecting boat hulls. A curable coating composition of the invention comprises a) at least one amphiphilic additive; b) at least one polyisocyanate; c) at least one polyol; and d) optionally, at least one amphiphilic PEG-PDMS isocyanate prepolymer. Another curable coating composition of the invention comprises the at least one polyisocyanate, b), the at least one polyol, c), and the at least one amphiphilic PEG-PDMS isocyanate prepolymer, d). The invention further relates to methods for reducing or preventing biofouling of a surface exposed to an aqueous environment comprising the steps of coating the surface with the curable coating compositions of the invention to form a coated surface, and curing the coating composition on the coated surface.

An antifouling structure of the present invention includes: a non-volatile liquid; a microporous structure layer retaining the non-volatile liquid; and a base with the microporous structure layer on a surface of the base. A surface roughness (Rz) of the microporous structure layer and a film thickness (T) of the non-volatile liquid satisfy Rz<T. The automobile part with an antifouling structure of the present invention includes the above-described antifouling structure.

Disclosed herein are a materials such as a coating, an elastomer, an adhesive, a sealant, a textile finish, a wax, and a filler for such a material, wherein the material includes an proteinaceous molecule such as a peptide and/an enzyme that confer a metal binding, an anti-fouling and/or an antibiotic property to the material. In particular, disclosed herein are marine coatings such as a marine paint that comprise an anti-fouling peptide sequence that reversibly binds a metal cation that is toxic to a fouling organism. Also disclosed herein are methods of reducing fouling on a surface by treating the surface with a metal binding peptide.

Described herein are anti-microbial and UV-protective biological devices and extracts produced therefrom. The biological devices include microbial cells transformed with a DNA construct containing genes for producing proteins such as, for example, zinc-related protein/oxidase, silicatein, silaffin, and alcohol dehydrogenase. In some instances, the biological devices also include a gene for lipase. Methods for producing and using the devices are also described herein. Finally, compositions and methods for using the devices and extracts to kill microbial species or prevent microbial growth and to reduce or prevent UV-induced damage or exposure to materials, items, plants, and human and animal subjects are described herein. Also disclosed are biological devices producing polyactive carbohydrates and carbo sugars, as well as compositions and articles incorporating both extracts from these devices and the anti-microbial and UV-protective extracts.

The present application discloses molecularly well-defined antibiofouling and polyionic coatings, materials and methods of use.

Articles including durable and icephobic polymeric coatings are disclosed. The polymeric coatings include a bonding layer which may contain a substantially fully cured polymeric resin providing excellent adhesion to metallic or polymer substrates. The polymeric coating further includes an outer surface layer which is smooth, hydrophobic and icephobic and, in addition to a substantially fully cured resin, contains silicone comprising additives near the exposed outer surface. The anisotropic polymeric coatings are particularly suited for strong and lightweight parts required in aerospace, automotive and sporting goods applications. A process for making the articles is disclosed as well.

A leather finishing composition includes water, a polymeric component, and a non-ionic surfactant component covalently bonded to the polymeric component. Advantageously, the leather finishing composition is substantially free of ionic groups. A method for applying the leather finishing composition to a leather substrate is provided.

Disclosed herein are zwitterionic monomers, non-zwitterionic monomers, polyzwitterionic polymers formed therefrom; surface functionalization; surface modification; and articles containing any such compositions or surfaces formed therefrom.

Systems, devices, and methods for a cosmetic sponge having: a tip portion at one end of the cosmetic sponge; an angled portion, where the tip portion is surrounded by the angled portion; a bulbous portion, where the bulbous portion is disposed proximate a bottom of the cosmetic sponge; and a bottom portion, where the bottom portion is surrounded by the bulbous portion; and a thermochromic pigment in at least a portion of the cosmetic sponge, where the portion of the cosmetic sponge changes from a first color at a first temperature to a second color at a second temperature.