Bio-Based Anti-Biofoulant with Copper(II) as Intramolecular Catalyst for Radicals Formation

Highly efficient and eco-friendly antimicrobial agents are crucial to the development of future marine antifouling coatings. A high efficient and low bio-toxicity bio-based anti-biofoulant, 2,5-diformylfuran dioxime chelating with copper ions (E-DFFD-Cu), is evaluated. Its minimal bactericidal concentration and the concentration for 50% of maximal effect (EC50) are 4.95 and 7.03 mu mol L-1, respectively. Excellent anti-biofouling performance in marine environment in situ can be kept at least 90 days and with maximum release rate of copper ion of 0.01 mu mol cm(-2) d(-1). Alkyl radical (R center dot) and hydrogen radical (H center dot) derived from E-DFFD are enhanced via chelating copper(II) catalysis, which attracts and disrupts microbe cell membrane and pili between intimate cells, resulting in excellent anti-biofouling effect. This provides a new perspective for developing anti-biofoulant from anti-biofouling mechanism in the future.