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Abstract
The study demonstrates that embedment of copper particles into thermoplastic polymers (polymers) using cold spray technology is an effective deterrent against fouling organisms. Two polymers, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and nylon were metallised with copper powder using cold spray technology. After 250 days in the field, Cu-embedded HDPE and copper plate controls were completely free of hard foulers compared to Cu-embedded nylon and polymer controls which were heavily fouled with both soft and hard fouling. Antifouling (AF) success is related to the interaction between the properties of the polymers (elastic modulus and hardness) and the cold spray process which affect particle embedment depth, and subsequently, the release of copper ions as determined by analytical techniques. Embedding metal using cold spray equipment is shown to be an effective AF technology for polymers, in particular those that are difficult to treat with standard AF coatings, with efficacy being a function of the interaction between the cold spray metal and the polymer recipient.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank M. Cruickshank, J. Hassett, K. Hauser and staff from the Townsville Yacht Club for their continued support over the years. They would also like to thank K. Blake and S. Askew from the Advanced Analytical Centre at James Cook University as well as A. Chatelain, M. Magnusson, K. Tilbrook, and M. Vickers for help in the field and with the identification of animals. They also acknowledge the contribution of four anonymous reviewers for their comments on the manuscript. This work was performed in part at the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication, which is the Victorian node of the Australian National Fabrication Facility, an initiative partly funded by the Commonwealth of Australia and the Victorian Government. Financial support was provided by CSIRO's Wealth from Oceans Flagship. M.J.V. was further supported by a James Cook University Postgraduate Research Scholarship.