US 12,269,967 B2
Methods for making antifouling materials
Enrico Bovero, Dhahran (SA); Aziz Fihri, Dhahran (SA); and Yassine Malajati, Dhahran (SA)
Assigned to Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Dec. 29, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/564,399.
Prior Publication US 2023/0203320 A1, Jun. 29, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C09D 5/16 (2006.01); B82Y 40/00 (2011.01)
CPC C09D 5/1681 (2013.01) [C09D 5/1606 (2013.01); B82Y 40/00 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
 
1. A method for making an antifouling material, the method comprising:
forming a nanostructured mold, wherein:
forming the nanostructured mold comprises contacting a liquid mold precursor with a textured surface of a nanostructured template, solidifying the liquid mold precursor to form the nanostructured mold, and separating the nanostructured mold and the nanostructured template;
the nanostructured mold comprises a textured surface having a complementary surface with respect to the textured surface of the nanostructured template, such that at least a portion of the nanostructured mold comprises a nanostructured surface; and
forming the antifouling material, wherein:
forming the antifouling material comprises:
contacting a liquid precursor mixture with a textured surface of the nanostructured mold, wherein the liquid precursor mixture comprises a polymer precursor, wherein the polymer precursor comprises an epoxy prepolymer and a curing agent, wherein the liquid precursor mixture comprises a toxin, wherein the toxin is capsaicin, and wherein the capsaicin is not covalently bonded to another compound when the capsaicin is in the liquid precursor mixture;
solidifying the liquid precursor mixture to form the antifouling material, wherein the antifouling material comprises a polymer formed from the polymer precursor, wherein the antifouling material comprises the toxin, and wherein the capsaicin in the antifouling material is covalently bonded to the polymer; and
separating the antifouling material and the nanostructured mold; and
the antifouling material comprises a textured surface having a complementary surface with respect to the textured surface of the nanostructured mold, such that at least a portion of the antifouling material comprises a nanostructured surface.