Antifouling polymers

Abstract

A range of extruded polymers incorporating synthetic furanones was manufactured and field tested. Polymers incorporating furanones showed excellent antifouling efficacy and significantly reduced fouling for more than 100 days. The present inventors have developed polymers that release commercial short-lived biocides or analogues of antifouling compounds isolated from marine algae. A range of polymers incorporating either the commercial isothiazolone Sea-Nine 211™ or a halogenated furanone were effective antifouling treatments in laboratory and field trials. The efficacy of the polymers was dependant on polymer type and the initial concentration of the antifouling compound. The polymers can be extruded as filaments that can be woven into netting or extruded or molding for other applications. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.