Antifouling article

#The present embodiments generally relate to antifouling articles, and to methods and kits for producing such antifouling articles.

#Biofouling presents several issues for underwater structures. Accordingly, there is a general need to prevent and reduce biofouling. There are numerous antifouling approaches currently employed, including the use of specific coatings that deter biofouling, the use of toxins or biocides having antifouling activity as additives in coatings or paints for surfaces, and the use of mechanical cleaning of surfaces.

#There are both economic and environmental benefits of reducing biofouling on marine and freshwater installations. For example, biofouling reduces fuel efficiency for ships, reduces profitable operation time of ships during the biofouling cleaning procedures and decreases cooling power of cooling water equipment, to mention a few.

#The embodiments, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by making reference to the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 illustrate polyurethane panels comprising 0% (left), 0.1% (middle) and 1.0% (right) medetomidine by weight after 15 months of submersion underwater. No barnacles are found on the polyurethane panels with medetomidine, whereas there are plenty of barnacles on the control polyurethane panel without any medetomidine.

#FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate polyurethane panels comprising 0.37% medetomidine by weight after 44 days of submersion underwater. No barnacles are found on the polyurethane panels, whereas the aluminum frame is covered by barnacles.

#The foregoing and other aspects of the embodiments will now be described in more detail with respect to the description and methodologies provided herein. It should be appreciated that the invention may be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to one of ordinary skill in the art.

#The one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that terminology used in the description herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. Unless otherwise defined, all terms, including technical and scientific terms used in the description, have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs.

#As used in the description of the embodiments, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Thus, such references may be replaced with a reference to “one or more”, e.g., one, of the relevant component or integer. As used herein, all references to “one or more” of a particular component or integer will be understood to refer to from one to a plurality, e.g., two, three or four, of such components or integers. It will be understood that references to “one or more” of a particular component or integer will include a particular reference to one such integer. Also, as used herein, “and/or” refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Furthermore, the term “about,” as used herein when referring to a measurable value, such as an amount of a compound, dose, time, temperature, and the like, refers to variations of 20%, 10%, 5%, 1%, 0.5%, or even 0.1% of the specified amount. When a range is employed, e.g., a range from x to y, it is it meant that the measurable value is a range from about x to about y, or any range or value therein including x and y. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.