Facile Fabrication of Micron-Laminated Cu-Al 2 O 3 Coating with Long-Lasting Antifouling Performance and Excellent Wear Resistance

Marine biofouling is a worldwide issue that has aroused great concern in scientific community. Herein, a micron-laminated Cu-Al 2 O 3 composite coating was facilely obtained via plasma spraying of Cu/Al 2 O 3 powders to achieve eco-friendly and long-lasting antifouling performance along with superior wear resistance. The microstructure, long-term antifouling performance, and wear behavior of the Cu-Al 2 O 3 coatings as a function of Al 2 O 3 content were systematically investigated. Results indicated that the Cu-Al 2 O 3 coating exhibited controlled slow copper ions leach rate of approximately 5 times lower than that of the Cu coating, promoting eco-friendly and long-lasting antifouling protection. Additionally, the copper ions leach rate from the Cu-Al 2 O 3 coatings decreased as the Al 2 O 3 content increased, which was mainly related to the Cu amount involved in dissolution reaction. Long-term antifouling efficiencies against bacterial survival and algae settlement for the Cu-Al 2 O 3 composite coatings with 32.1-66.2% Al 2 O 3 were higher than 90%. Furthermore, the Cu-Al 2 O 3 coatings exhibited superior wear resistance by the strengthening of Al 2 O 3 . Continuous tribolayer containing trapped Al 2 O 3 particles formed on worn surface was responsible for the excellent wear resistance of Cu-Al 2 O 3 coatings. The outstanding comprehensive performance of Cu-Al 2 O 3 coating combining long-lasting and eco-friendly antifouling ability and remarkable wear resistance gives clear insight into its potential applications in marine antifouling field.