The invention relates to a hull of a vessel having characteristic surface properties, allowing an increase in surface runoff while benefiting from an inherent anti-fouling property and an original aesthetic appearance. Furthermore, the invention allows the incorporation of said outer composite envelope into the structure of the hull, thereby preventing delamination problems and inherently providing a vessel hull with the above-mentioned properties.

Provided are an antifouling coating composition that contains: a hydrolyzable resin having a specific silicon-containing group and a metal-atom-containing group containing a divalent metal atom M; and a thermoplastic resin and/or a plasticizer, wherein the total content of the thermoplastic resin and/or plasticizer per 100 parts by mass of the hydrolyzable resin is 3 to 100 parts by mass, an antifouling film, a composite film and an in-water structure such as a ship using the antifouling coating composition. The antifouling coating composition makes it possible to form a coating film that is excellent in crack resistance and exhibits a good antifouling property over a long period of time even when no antifouling agent is contained or the blending amount thereof is small.

The present invention provides a process for treating and drying a marine or submarine textile material to inhibit biofouling thereof. The invention further provides a marine or submarine textile material with antifouling properties obtained by the process of the invention, as well as the use of an antifouling formulation according to this invention for inhibiting the biofouling of marine and submarine textile materials.

Methods of forming a boat hull include applying an outer polymer layer onto a hull mold, the outer polymer layer being impregnated with a biologically active chemical substance that inhibits biofouling-induced chemical, biological, and bio-proliferative damage. An inner polymer layer is applied onto the outer polymer layer, the inner polymer layer being impregnated with a biologically active chemical substance that inhibits biofouling-induced chemical, biological, and bio-proliferative damage. One or more layers of fiberglass matting are applied on the inner polymer layer, the fiberglass matting being saturated with a polymer selected from one of a group of polymers comprising a vinyl ester polymer, a phthalic unsaturated polyester polymer, and an epoxy polymer.

A paint composition for forming energy saving self-cleaning coatings includes water, a binder composition, a powder catalyst composition, a first pigment composition, a second pigment composition, and a fluoropolymer-composition. The binder composition includes a first acrylic resin having an average particle size from about 0.2 to 1 micron and a glass transition temperature less than about 10° C. The powder catalyst composition includes anatase titanium dioxide with a surface area from about 50 to 500 m.sup.2/g. It should be appreciated that anatase provides catalyst activity that is useful for providing the self-cleaning properties of the present embodiment. The first pigment composition includes rutile titanium dioxide which typically has low or no catalytic activity while the second pigment composition is different than the first pigment composition. Characteristically, the fluoropolymer-containing composition includes polyvinylidene fluoride and a second acrylic resin.

Methods of protecting a surface include applying an inner polymer layer onto a surface. The inner polymer layer is impregnated with a biologically active chemical substance that protects the surface from biofouling-induced chemical, biological, and bio-proliferative damage. The inner polymer layer is an epoxy polymer. An outer polymer layer is applied onto the inner polymer layer. The outer polymer layer is impregnated with a biologically active chemical substance that protects the inner polymer layer from biofouling-induced chemical, biological, and bio-proliferative damage. The outer polymer layer is selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes and fluorourethanes.

A surface of a marine object is treated with an antifouling paint. The antifouling paint comprises a porous silicate and a wax. The porous silicate has a particle size of between 1 and 100 μm and is in a concentration of between 18 and 60 weight percent. The antifouling paint is applied to the surface. The wax is used to encapsulate the porous silicate and to prevent an immediate release of ions from the porous silicate.

A method of forming a metasurface includes forming a plurality of channels on a surface of a formed from a first material, like a metal, ceramic, or polymer. The method also includes filling the plurality of channels in the surface of the base substrate with a second material that is different from the first material to form a metasurface on the base substrate. The method further includes placing the metasurface into a heat exchange system such that the metasurface is proximate to a liquid used in the heat exchange system.

A coating composition is provided comprising nanoparticles and certain polymers comprising carboxylic acid groups or salts thereof. When applied to articles, the coating is resistant to soiling by both dry dust and wet soil. Coated articles and methods of applying coatings are also described herein.

Provided are a composition for forming an anti-snow-accumulation film capable of forming a film that is unlikely to undergo snow accumulation, and an anti-snow-accumulation film. The composition for forming an anti-snow-accumulation film according to the present disclosure contains composite particles formed from fine particles each coated with a first polymer and a coating material component. The anti-snow-accumulation film according to present disclosure contains composite particles formed from fine particles each coated with a first polymer and a binder component. The anti-snow-accumulation film according to the present disclosure has a snow accumulation start time of 20 minutes or more as measured in a snow accumulation test. The anti-snow-accumulation film according to the present disclosure is unlikely to undergo snow accumulation.