Biofouling control using nano silicon dioxide reinforced mixedcharged zwitterionic hydrogel in aquaculture cage nets
Biofouling control using nano silicon dioxide reinforced mixedcharged zwitterionic hydrogel in aquaculture cage nets
Date
2019
Authors
Mohan, A.
Ashraf, P.M.
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Abstract
Biofouling in aquaculture cages negatively
affects the farm productivity, and it requires huge sums of
money and labor for its management. A superhydrophilic
pseudozwitterionic hydrogel, N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA)
+ [2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium (TMA) +
3-sulfopropyl methacrylate (SA) copolymer, is considered as a
potential antifouling agent. The present study aimed to
synthesize a nano silicon oxide reinforced NIPA−TMA−SA
mixed-charged zwitterionic hydrogel over polyaniline-coated
polyethylene aquaculture cage nets through the in situ
microwave reaction and to test its biofouling resistance. The study highlighted the formation of stable coating over
polyethylene, four different treatments, and their effective inhibition of fouling compared with the untreated one. Six month’s
immersions of treated nettings in the estuarine environments demonstrated that the biofouling inhibition by nano silicon oxide
reinforced zwitterionic hydrogel-coated polyethylene was unable to satisfy the industrial standards but made the samples free
from hard-shelled fouling organisms compared with untreated controls. More research is needed to improve the quality of the
coatings. The mixed-charged zwitterionic hydrogel with nano silicon oxide showed medium hydrophilic nature. Fourier
transform infrared, scanning electron microscopy, and spectroscopic evaluation showed the successful formation of hydrogel
over the aquaculture cage net. Nano silicon oxide reinforced in the matrix through hydrogen and coordination bonding between
NH2 and carbonyl of the polymeric chain, respectively.
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Langmuir DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b04071