Synthesis, Characterization and Evaluation of the Antibiofouling Potential of Some Metal and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles

Abstract

This study explores the potential antibiofouling capacity of coatings based on mixes of poly vinyl alcohol (PVA)-glutaraldehyde (GA) incorporating additions of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles (TiO2, ZnO, CuO, AgNPs and Ag-TiO2NPs). Such a kind of hybrid polymer-nanoparticle mix (PVA/GA/ nanoparticles (NPs)) was uniformly applied by spin coating on the surface of a laboratory raceway and tested in freshwater loaded with green algae communities. The results showed PVA/GA was a convenient carrier for the nanoparticles tested. Image analysis of the coatings showed that Ag-TiO2 nanoparticles exhibited a significant improvement of the antibiofouling effect when compared with that of AgNPs and TiO2-NPs. The effect of the Ag-TiO2 NPs loaded coating about four times better than that of ZnO-NPs. A consistent experimental methodology was developed to test the antibiofouling capacity of the coatings and the hybrid coatings developed have demonstrated promising results as environmentally friendly antibiofouling materials.