Amphiphilic siloxane-polyurethane fouling-release coatings and uses thereof

Abstract

The invention is directed to curable polyurethane coating compositions which may be used to form fouling release coatings, e.g., for use in protecting boat hulls. The curable polyurethane coating compositions of the invention comprise (a) a prepolymer made by reacting at least one polyisocyanate with (i) at least one monocarbinol-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane), (ii) at least one methoxy-terminated poly(ethylene glycol), or (iii) mixtures thereof, (b) at least one polyol, and (c) at least one polyisocyanate crosslinker. The invention also relates to the prepolymer used in the curable coating compositions. The invention further relates to methods for reducing or preventing biofouling of a surface exposed to an aqueous environment comprising the steps of coating the surface with a curable coating composition of the invention to form a coated surface, and curing the coating coating composition on the coated surface.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.