The present invention relates to silica aerogels with a high to very high loading (60-90% w/w) of encapsulated biocidal and/or biorepellant compounds and to methods of making and using such aerogels in anti-fouling compositions, which are especially suitable for marine use.

A surface-treating agent including at least one fluoropolyether group-containing compound of the following formula (1) or (2) as defined herein and a chlorine ion, wherein a chlorine ion concentration in the surface-treating agent is 0.1 ppm by mass or more and 1.0 ppm by mass or less. Also disclosed is a pellet including the surface-treating agent and an article including a base material and a layer which is formed on a surface of the base material from the surface-treating agent:

R.sup.F1.sub.α—X.sup.A—R.sup.Si.sub.β  (1)

R.sup.Si.sub.γ—X.sup.A—R.sup.F2—X.sup.A—R.sup.Si.sub.γ  (2).

Disclosed is a coating composition which includes: polyurethane; and amphiphilic silica nanoparticles having an amine functional group and a fluorine functional group in their structure. Further provided are a polyurethane-silica composite film including the coating composition and a method of preparing the same.

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.

The disclosed technology provides thermoplastic polyurethane compositions having non-leaching antimicrobial properties while still maintaining good physical properties, methods of making the same, and articles, including medical devices, made from such compositions. The disclosed technology includes a process of making an antimicrobial polymer composition, where the process includes mixing an antimicrobial additive into a polymeric material; wherein said polymeric material comprises a polymeric backbone made up of urethane linkages derived from a polyisocyanate and a polyol; and wherein said mixing occurs under conditions that result in the breaking of a minority of said urethane bonds resulting in reactive isocyanate groups; and wherein two or more of said reactive isocyanate groups react with said antimicrobial additive to covalently bond said antimicrobial additive into the polymeric backbone of said polymeric material; resulting in an antimicrobial polymer composition.

A module for preventing barnacle formation in a marine air-conditioning system. The module comprises: i) a source of irradiating light for killing or stunning barnacle larvae; ii) a pipe assembly; and iii) a coating applied to a wall of an interior chamber of the pipe assembly, wherein the coating enhances the maintenance of photons in the irradiating light. The pipe assembly comprises an interior chamber, an input neck configured to be coupled to an input pipe and to direct an incoming water flow into the interior chamber, and an output neck configured to be coupled to an output pipe and to direct an outgoing water flow from the interior chamber. The pipe assembly further includes a third neck configured to receive the source of irradiating light and to direct the irradiating light into the interior chamber of the pipe assembly.

Provided are a self-cleaning coating, a self-cleaning fiber, a self-cleaning carpet and uses thereof. The self-cleaning coating is provided with a porous structure where pores communicate with one another; the volume of the pores comprised in the coating makes up 20%-98% of the total volume of the coating; and the pore diameter of the pores in the porous structure is between 0.5 nm-50 nm. The self-cleaning coating is mainly prepared from host materials; the host materials are one or more of titanium oxide, zirconia, titanium nitride, silicon oxide, tungsten oxide, g-C.sub.3N.sub.4 semiconducting polymer, perovskite semiconductor, silver, iron, gold, aluminum, copper, zinc, tin and platinum.

Provided are compositions derived from Beauveria bassiana, Brevibacillus brevis, Streptomyces spororaveus, Paenibacillus elgii, or Streptomyces sp. fermentation, having algicidal properties, and method of use thereof.

A method for precise control of movement of a motive phase on a lubricant-impregnated surface includes providing a lubricant-impregnated surface, introducing the motive phase onto the lubricant-impregnated surface, and exposing the droplets to an electric and/or magnetic field to induce controlled movement of the droplets on the surface. The lubricant-impregnated surface includes a matrix of solid features spaced sufficiently close to stably contain the impregnating lubricant therebetween or therewithin. The motive phase is immiscible or scarcely miscible with the impregnating lubricant.

A method is provided for establishing a fouling-release coating system on a surface of a substrate, as well as the fouling-release coating system per se. The fouling-release coating composition which is used in the method comprises one or more sterically hindered amines, in particular 2,2,6,6-tetraalkyl piperidine derivatives.