UV-curable PBMA coating containing CuZn-MOF-74 for fouling-resistance

CuZn-MOF-74 was successfully synthesized at room temperature. And then the efficacy of UV-curable PBMA coating that contains Poly(butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) and CuZn-MOF-74 in terms of stable release of copper ions and anti-fouling properties was evaluated. PBMA/CuZn-MOF-74 coating exhibits stable copper ion release performance due to the coordination between metal ions and organic ligands and the complex interaction between Cu and Zn cations in CuZn-MOF-74. The results of the antibacterial experiment lasting for 21 days show that the addition of MOF-74 improves the antibacterial performance of the coatings and the antibacterial rate can be over 98 %. The antibacterial mechanism of the coating mainly includes the toxic effect of open metal sites, release copper ions and the oxidative stress caused by the increased of ROS. And the coating has good elastic deformation recovery ability, which makes it be able to resist sediment impact in the ocean. Finally, the concise method for preparing MOF-74 (room temperature, only MeOH) and the use of UV-curing to prepare coatings (e. g., solvent-free, mild conditions) are helpful to improve the environmental friendliness. Therefore, this UVcurable PBMA coating containing a low concentration of MOF-74 (e.g., 3 wt%, 6 wt%) would be effective in anti-biofouling while introducing the important advantage of UV-curable method in energy conservation and environmental protection.