Functionalized Ti₃C₂T_x-based nanocomposite coatings for anticorrosion and antifouling applications

Marine corrosion and biofouling are a major issue affecting the development of the marine industry. Traditional single-function coatings, such as those that provide either antifouling or anticorrosion, cannot meet the requirements in the current hostile conditions. In our study, block copolymer-functionalized Ti₃C₂T_x was successful prepared and employed to synthesize a nanocomposite coating with satisfactory antifouling and anticorrosion performances, in which the anticorrosion agent poly(2-mercaptobenzothiazole) (PMBTMA) was first grafted on the Ti₃C₂T_x surface, after which the antifouling agent poly(3-sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium (PSPMA) was grafted via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP), to obtain the block copolymer (PMBTMA-co-PSPMA)-functionalized Ti₃C₂T_x (abbreviated as TMS). An appropriate corrosion protection and antifouling mechanism in the functionalized Ti₃C₂T_x-based epoxy nanohybrid coatings is proposed. It is noteworthy that the antibacterial activity of the proposed coating stems from the synergistic bactericidal effect of Ti₃C₂T_x and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT). The outstanding antibacterial properties of the TMS and the strong surface hydration of the anionic polymer brushes PSPMA, endow the as-prepared TMS-based nanocomposite coating (TMS/EP) with good antifouling performance (removal of more than 55% of bacteria and removal rate of microalgae up to 71%). More importantly, the TMS/EP has excellent corrosion resistance ability, which is due to the good synergistic anticorrosion barrier effect of Ti₃C₂T_x nanosheets and the on-demand release of corrosion inhibitor MBT during the corrosion process.