The present invention relates to antifouling compositions comprising copper di(ethyl 4,4,4-trifluoroacetoacetate) (Cu(ETFAA)2) that are highly effective against marine biofouling of surfaces of ships and marine structures, their use for inhibiting marine biofouling, as well as antifouling paints comprising said compositions.

A method for applying a coating to a surface includes the step of providing a reaction mixture comprising a silicon alkoxide and an alcohol. A reaction limiting amount of water is added. The silicon alkoxides and water are allowed to react to form silica precursor particles during an initial reaction period. A coating precursor composition is prepared by adding an acid soluble in the alcohol to the reaction mixture during a second reaction period after the initial reaction period. The precursor silica particles grow to form silica nanofeatures having a major dimension that is larger than a major dimension of the silica precursor particles. The coating precursor composition is applied to a surface, and the alcohol and water are allowed to evaporate and the silica nanofeatures to adhere to the surface and form a nanostructured layer on the surface. A coating precursor composition and a coated article are also disclosed.

A composite resin comprising silver nanoparticles and a polymer where the silver nanoparticles are formed by reduction of silver ions by the functional groups of the polymer without the addition or application of an external reducing agent. The composite resin has a low silver leach rate. The composite resin may be used as a surface coating, particularly an antimicrobial or antifouling surface coating.

A composite resin comprising silver nanoparticles and a polymer where the silver nanoparticles are formed by reduction of silver ions by the functional groups of the polymer without the addition or application of an external reducing agent. The composite e resin has a low silver leach rate. The composite resin may be used as a surface coating, particularly an antimicrobial or antifouling surface coating.

A method of synthesizing nanoparticles comprising TiO.sub.2 and marine-based materials is provided. The method comprises mixing a solution containing a titanium precursor with a marine plant extract to form a colloidal suspension; aging the colloidal suspension to form a gel; drying the gel; and grinding the gel to obtain a powder comprising nanoparticles comprising TiO.sub.2 and marine-based materials. Paint formulations comprising the nanoparticles and methods of using the same are also provided.

Described herein is a stator water cooling (SWC) system in an electrical power generator with improved resistance to copper fouling, more specifically, to a component of the SWC system, such as a strainer, having an anti-fouling metallic material on the surface of the component. Also described herein is a method of reducing copper fouling in a SWC system that comprises applying an anti-fouling metallic material to the surface of a SWC system component.

An antibacterial device is disclosed that includes a substrate and an antibacterial coating or antibacterial surface being provided on at least a part of the substrate's surface. The antibacterial coating or surface includes Angstrom scale flakes, where the Angstrom scale flakes are arranged in a standing position on the substrate surface and are attached to the substrate surface via edge sides thereof. The Angstrom scale flakes can, for example, be graphene flakes, or graphite flakes having a thickness of a few atom layers. It has been found that such standing flakes are efficient in killing prokaryotic cells but do not harm eukaryotic cells.

Provided is an antifouling coating composition, which can form a coating film having good hardness and good physical properties and having a wear degree appropriate for expressing a long-term antifouling effect, has a viscosity not being excessively high, and makes it possible to reduce a content of volatile organic compounds, and a polymer-containing composition which is suitable for obtaining the antifouling coating composition. The polymer-containing composition contains a (meth)acryl-based copolymer (A-1), in which the (meth)acryl-based copolymer (A-1) contains a constitutional unit (U11) or a constitutional unit (U12) having carboxylate forming an ionic bond with a divalent metal atom, and has a weight-average molecular weight of 1,000 to 5,000, and the polymer-containing composition has a coating film hardness (Martens hardness) equal to or higher than 2.5 N/mm.sup.2.

The present invention pertains to a coating film, and more particularly, to an antifogging coating film having excellent antifogging properties, ability to retain antifogging properties, and water resistance. The coating film according to the present invention contains a metal oxide (A) and a hydrophilic compound (B), wherein the elemental concentration ratio (C1s/M), which is between the element C and a metal element and which is obtained from a metal (M) spectrum derived from the metal oxide and a C1s spectrum in an elemental analysis of the surface using XPS, is within the range of 0.2-10. The relative elemental concentration of the element C obtained from a C1s spectrum derived from carbon-oxygen bonds and/or carbon-nitrogen bonds in elemental analysis of the surface using XPS may be within the range of 5-50 atomic %. The metal oxide may be colloidal silica. The coating film according to the present invention can be particularly preferably used as an antifogging coating film and a coating film for automotive exterior parts.

The present invention relates to the field of nanotechnology, more particularly to a paint or coating composition that allows microbial corrosion in metal surfaces to be suppressed. The composition comprises a paint base formed by ethylene glycol monobutyl ether and nitrocellulose into which carbon nanotubes have been incorporated. Also disclosed is a method for preparing the paint or coating composition, a method for preventing or eliminating biocorrosion in surfaces exposed to aqueous environments, and lastly, the use of the paint or coating composition.