The purpose of this work is to investigate the effects on the properties of poly-dimethylsiloxane-based coatings with the incorporation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). For this reason, two types of MWCNT were examined (pristine and functionalised with carboxyl groups). An optimised dispersion method was employed to synthesise coatings with different wt-% concentrations of CNT, using different solvents. The morphology of the nanocomposite coatings was studied under optical and scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, their hydrophobic/hydrophilic behaviour was investigated by contact angle measurements. Furthermore, nanoindentation and nanoscratch tests were conducted to evaluate the nanomechanical properties. The results revealed an optimal threshold concentration of 0.1 wt-% in CNT that combines both acceptable dispersibility and mechanical enhancement of the composite coating. It was proven that the increase in CNT content deteriorates the surface and mechanical properties of the coatings.
LejarsM., MargaillanA. and BressyC.: ‘Fouling release coatings: a nontoxic alternative to biocidal antifouling coatings’, Chem. Rev., 2012, 112, (8), 4347–4390. doi: 10.1021/cr200350v
2.
DaffornK. A., LewisJ. A. and JohnstonE. L.: ‘Antifouling strategies: history and regulation, ecological impacts and mitigation’, Mar. Pollut. Bull., 2011, 62, (3), 453–465. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.01.012
3.
AlmeidaE., DiamantinoT. C. and de SousaO.: ‘Marine paints: the particular case of antifouling paints’, Prog. Org. Coat., 2007, 59, (1), 2–20. doi: 10.1016/j.porgcoat.2007.01.017
4.
WituckiG. L.: ‘The evolution of silicon-based technology in coatings’, 2003, Midland, MI, Dow Corning Corporation.
5.
BeigbederA., DegeeP., ConlanS. L., MuttonR. J., ClareA. S., PettittM. E., CallowM. E., CallowJ. A. and DuboisP.: ‘Preparation and characterisation of silicone-based coatings filled with carbon nanotubes and natural sepiolite and their application as marine fouling-release coatings’, Biofouling, 2008, 24, (4), 291–302. doi: 10.1080/08927010802162885
6.
CarlC., PooleA. J., VuckoM. J., WilliamsM. R., WhalanS. and de NysR.: ‘Enhancing the efficacy of fouling-release coatings against fouling by Mytilus galloprovincialis using nanofillers’, Biofouling, 2012, 28, (10), 1077–1091. doi: 10.1080/08927014.2012.728588
7.
FangH., ZhouS. and WuL.: ‘Microphase separation behavior on the surfaces of PEG–MDI–PDMS multiblock copolymer coatings’, Appl. Surf. Sci., 2006, 253, (5), 2978–2983. doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2006.06.044
8.
GeZ. and LuoY.: ‘Synthesis and characterization of siloxane-modified two-component waterborne polyurethane’, Prog. Org. Coat., 2013, 76, (11), 1522–1526. doi: 10.1016/j.porgcoat.2013.06.007
9.
RathS. K., ChavanJ. G., SasaneS., Jagannath, PatriM., SamuiA. B. and ChakrabortyB. C.: ‘Two component silicone modified epoxy foul release coatings: effect of modulus, surface energy and surface restructuring on pseudobarnacle and macrofouling behavior’, Appl. Surf. Sci., 2010, 256, (8), 2440–2446. doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2009.10.084
10.
ActonQ. A.: ‘Silicones – advances in research and application’; 2012, Atlanta, GA, ScholarlyEditions.
11.
IraniF., JannesariA. and BastaniS.: ‘Effect of fluorination of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the surface properties of fouling-release silicone/MWCNTs coatings’, Prog. Org. Coat., 2013, 76, (2–3), 375–383. doi: 10.1016/j.porgcoat.2012.10.023
12.
LeeJ. N., ParkC. and WhitesidesG. M.: ‘Solvent compatibility of poly(dimethylsiloxane)-based microfluidic devices’, Anal. Chem., 2003, 75, (23), 6544–6554. doi: 10.1021/ac0346712
13.
StoyeD., MarwaldB. and PlehnW.,: ‘Paints and coatings, 1. Introduction’, in ‘Ullmann's encyclopedia of industrial chemistry’, 2010, Weinheim, Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.
14.
LiuC.-X. and ChoiJ.-W.: ‘Improved dispersion of carbon nanotubes in polymers at high concentrations’, Nanomaterials, 2012, 2, (4), 329–347. doi: 10.3390/nano2040329
15.
ChuaT. P., MariattiM., AzizanA. and RashidA. A.: ‘Effects of surface-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the properties of poly(dimethyl siloxane) nanocomposites’, Compos. Sci. Technol., 2010, 70, (4), 671–677. doi: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2009.12.023
16.
KhoslaA. and GrayB. L.: ‘Preparation, characterization and micromolding of multi-walled carbon nanotube polydimethylsiloxane conducting nanocomposite polymer’, Mater. Lett., 2009, 63, (13–14), 1203–1206. doi: 10.1016/j.matlet.2009.02.043
17.
CharitidisC. A., KoumoulosE. P., GiorcelliM., MussoS., JagadaleP. and TagliaferroA.: ‘Nanomechanical and tribological properties of carbon nanotube/polyvinyl butyral composites’, Polym. Compos., 2013, 34, (11), 1950–1960. doi: 10.1002/pc.22602
18.
KingR. B.: ‘Elastic analysis of some punch problems for a layered medium’, Int. J. Solids Struct., 1987, 23, (12), 1657–1664. doi: 10.1016/0020-7683(87)90116-8
19.
ArmaniD., LiuC. and AluruN.: ‘Re-configurable fluid circuits by PDMS elastomer micromachining’, Proc. 12th IEEE Int. Conf. on ‘Micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS)’ Urbana, USA, February 1999, University of Illinois, 222–227.
20.
MartinelliE., SuffrediniM., GalliG., GlisentiA., PettittM. E., CallowM. E., CallowJ. A., WilliamsD. and LyallG.: ‘Amphiphilic block copolymer/poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) blends and nanocomposites for improved fouling-release’, Biofouling, 2011, 27, (5), 529–541. doi: 10.1080/08927014.2011.584972
21.
CharitidisC. A. and KoumoulosE. P.: ‘Nanomechanical properties and nanoscale deformation of PDMS nanocomposites’, Plast. Rubber Compos., 2012, 41, (2), 88–93. doi: 10.1179/1743289810Y.0000000037
22.
SilberzanP., PerutzS., KramerE. J. and ChaudhuryM. K.: ‘Study of the self-adhesion hysteresis of a siloxane elastomer using the IKR method’, Langmuir, 1994, 10, (7), 2466–2470. doi: 10.1021/la00019a073
23.
ChoiG. Y., KangJ. F., UlmanA., ZurawskyW. and FleischerC.: ‘Acid-base interaction in the adhesion between two solid surfaces’, Langmuir, 1999, 15, (26), 8783–8786. doi: 10.1021/la991222h
24.
ChoiG. Y., KimS. and UlmanA.: ‘Adhesion hysteresis studies of extracted poly(dimethylsiloxane) using contact mechanics’, Langmuir, 1997, 13, (23), 6333–6338. doi: 10.1021/la970525d
25.
PharrG. M., HerbertE. G. and GaoY.: ‘The indentation size effect: a critical examination of experimental observations and mechanistic interpretations’, Annu. Rev. Mater. Res., 2010, 40, (1), 271–292. doi: 10.1146/annurev-matsci-070909-104456
26.
ShenY. X., WeiP. J. and LinJ. F.: ‘Initial and adhesive contact between a diamond indenter and polydimethylsiloxane’, Rev. Sci. Instrum., 2008, 79, (9), 096106-1–096106-3. doi: 10.1063/1.2987692
27.
WuC.-L., LinH.-C., HsuJ.-S., YipM.-C. and FangW.: ‘Static and dynamic mechanical properties of polydimethylsiloxane/carbon nanotubes nanocomposites’, Thin Solid Films, 2009, 517, (17), 4895–4901. doi: 10.1016/j.tsf.2009.03.146
28.
VastL., CarpentierL., LallemandF., ColomerJ.-F., Van TendelooG., FonsecaA., NagyJ. B., MekhalifZ. and DelhalleJ.: ‘Multiwalled carbon nanotubes functionalized with 7-octenyltrichlorosilane and n-octyltrichlorosilane: dispersion in Sylgard®184 silicone and Young's modulus’, J. Mater. Sci., 2009, 44, (13), 3476–3482. doi: 10.1007/s10853-009-3464-1
29.
LeylandA. and MatthewsA.: ‘On the significance of the H/E ratio in wear control: a nanocomposite coating approach to optimised tribological behaviour’, Wear, 2000, 246, (1–2), 1–11. doi: 10.1016/S0043-1648(00)00488-9
30.
KoumoulosE. P., JagdaleP., KartsonakisI. A., GiorcelliM., TagliaferroA. and CharitidisC. A.: ‘Carbon nanotube/polymer nanocomposites: a study on mechanical integrity through nanoindentation’, Polym. Compos., 2015, 36, (8), 1432–1446. doi: 10.1002/pc.23049
31.
OliveiraG. L., CostaC. A., TeixeiraS. C. S. and CostaM. F.: ‘The use of nano- and micro-instrumented indentation tests to evaluate viscoelastic behavior of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)’, Polym. Test., 2014, 34, 10–16. doi: 10.1016/j.polymertesting.2013.12.006
32.
CarrilloF., GuptaS., BaloochM., MarshallS. J., MarshallG. W., PruittL. and PuttlitzC. M.: ‘Nanoindentation of polydimethylsiloxane elastomers: effect of crosslinking, work of adhesion, and fluid environment on elastic modulus’, J. Mater. Res., 2011, 20, (10), 2820–2830. doi: 10.1557/JMR.2005.0354
33.
Fischer-CrippsA. C.: ‘Factors affecting nanoindentation, test data’, in ‘Nanoindentation’ part of the series ‘mechanical engineering series’, 61–82; 2002, New York, Springer.
34.
BeigbederA., LinaresM., DevalckenaereM., DegéeP., ClaesM., BeljonneD., LazzaroniR. and DuboisP.: ‘CH-π interactions as the driving force for silicone-based nanocomposites with exceptional properties’, Adv. Mater., 2008, 20, (5), 1003–1007. doi: 10.1002/adma.200701497
