(poly)oxyalkylene block silyl ester copolymer, antifouling coating composition, antifouling coating formed from antifouling coating composition, antifouling method using antifouling coating composition and hull or underwater structure covered with antifouling coating

An antifouling coating composition comprising a (poly)oxyalkylene block silyl ester copolymer, which (poly)oxyalkylene block silyl ester copolymer comprises silyl ester copolymer block units (A-1) and block units (A-2),

• said silyl ester copolymer block units (A-1) comprising:
• (a) component units derived from a polymerizable unsaturated carboxylic acid silyl ester, and
• (b) polymerizable unsaturated monomer units other than the component units (a),
• said block units (A-2) derived from a mercapto compound represented by the formula:
• wherein R1 represents a hydrocarbon group or ether-bond-containing hydrocarbon group having a valency of 1 or higher and having 1 to 30 carbon atoms;
• R2 represents a bivalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms or a group of the formula —CH(R3)— wherein R3 represents a group of the formula R4—O—R5, R4 representing a bivalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, and R5 representing a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms;
• X represents:
• n is an integer of 1 to 5;
• m is an integer of 1 to 100;
• 1 is an integer of 1 to 5;
• k is an integer of 0 to 100;
• a is an integer of 0 or 1;
• j is an integer of 1 to 50;
• and i is the valency of R1.

An antifouling coating film formed from an antifouling coating composition comprising a (poly)oxyalkylene block silyl ester copolymer, which (poly)oxyalkylene block silyl ester copolymer comprises silyl ester copolymer block units (A-1) and block units (A-2),

• said silyl ester copolymer block units (A-1) comprising:
• (a) component units derived from a polymerizable unsaturated carboxylic acid silyl ester, and
• (b) polymerizable unsaturated monomer units other than the component units (a),
• said block units (A-2) derived from a mercapto compound represented by the formula:
• wherein R1 represents a hydrocarbon group or ether-bond-containing hydrocarbon group having a valency of 1 or higher and having 1 to 30 carbon atoms;
• R2 represents a bivalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms or a group of the formula —CH(R3)— wherein R3 represents a group of the formula R4-O-R5, R4 representing a bivalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, and R5 representing a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms;
• X represents:
• n is an integer of 1 to 5;
• m is an integer of 1 to 100;
• 1 is an integer of 1 to 5;
• k is an integer of 0 to 100;
• a is an integer of 0 or 1;
• j is an integer of 1 to 50;
• and i is the valency of R1.

The antifouling coating film of aim wherein the component units derived from a polymerizable unsaturated carboxylic acid silyl ester (a) comprise:

• silyl (meth)acrylate component units (a-2) of the formula:
• —CH2—CR(COOSiR11R12R13)— (II)
• wherein R represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group;
• each of R11 and R12 independently represents a linear alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, or a trimethylsilyloxy group;
• and R13 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms which may have a ring structure or branch, a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, or a trimethylsilyloxy group, and silyl (meth)acrylate component units (a-3) of the formula:
• —CH2—CR(COOSiR14R15R16)— (III)
• wherein R represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group;
• each of R14 and R15 independently represents a branched alkyl or cycloalkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms;
• and R16 represents a linear alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, a branched alkyl or cycloalkyl group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, or a trimethylsilyloxy group.