Non copper antimicrobial agents for laminate coatings

该项目将与先进转换技术(Acti)，一家专注于定制粘合剂涂层和层压工艺的加拿大公司。ACTI已经开始开发一种创新的防污保护膜，用于海洋应用，可以抵抗藻类、藤壶和海洋生长。ACTI面临的问题是，在薄膜制造过程中，他们的新型涂层存在抗菌剂分散不均匀和由于顶层存在针孔缺陷而严重失效的问题。更重要的是，他们有动力为铜基涂料寻找毒性较低的替代解决方案，因此有必要进行配方研究，调查几种非铜防污添加剂。 在WESTERN与Charpentier团队的合作中，我们将评估Acti提供的几种不同海洋涂料配方的物理、机械和化学参数。首先，将测试几种目前的ACTI薄膜/涂层，以了解厚度、接触角和机械性能方面的基线特性。聚合物将使用结合了非铜添加剂的Acti专有配方。使用Charpentier实验室的实验室层压和丝网印刷系统，我们将评估这些聚合物系统在Acti提供的衬底上的沉积情况。精确控制涂层的表面和表面特性将使我们能够更好地了解和控制微生物和细胞在涂层表面的附着和生长。涂层表面的表面能和疏水性以及防污性能将根据不同的主体聚合物基质和沉积参数进行测量。

This project will be with Advanced Converting Technologies (ACTI), a Canadian company that focuses on custom adhesive coatings and laminating processes. ACTI has begun the development of an innovative antifouling protective film for marine applications that is resistant to algae, barnacles and marine growth. The problem ACTI is facing is that during film manufacture, their novel coatings are giving non-uniform dispersion of antimicrobial agent and significant failures due to pinhole defects in the top coat. More importantly, they are motivated to find alternative less-toxic solutions to copper-based coatings necessitating the need for a formulation study investigating several non-copper anti-fouling additives. At Western with the Charpentier group we will evaluate the physical, mechanical and chemical parameters of several different marine coating formulations provided by ACTI. First, several current ACTI films/coatings will be tested to understand baseline properties on thickness, contact angle and mechanical properties. Polymers will be formulated using ACTI proprietary formulations integrating non-Copper additives. Using laboratory lamination and screen printing systems in the Charpentier lab we will evaluate deposition of these polymer systems on backings provided by ACTI. Precise control of the topographical and surface properties will allow us to better understand and control the adhesion and growth of microorganisms and cells to the coating surfaces. Surface energy and hydrophobicity of the coating surface along with anti-fouling will be measured on the various bulk polymer matrices and deposition parameters.