This invention discloses a modified tea
saponin-based antifouling
emulsion, its preparation method, and its application. The method includes: firstly,
grafting C12-C22 long-chain unsaturated acyl chlorides, acid anhydrides, or isocyanates onto tea
saponin molecules using a one-pot method to prepare unsaturated modified tea
saponin monomers; then, semi-continuous
emulsion copolymerizing these monomers with
styrene, (
meth)
acrylate, and functional
carboxylic acid monomers. This invention anchors the antifouling active sites of tea saponin to the
polymer backbone via covalent bonds, combining the steric hindrance and repulsion forces generated by the long carbon chains in
seawater with their lipid affinity and penetration effect on the
cell membranes of attached organisms, achieving synergistic antifouling through physical anti-adhesion and biochemical inhibition. This invention overcomes the shortcomings of traditional physically additive antifouling agents, such as easy leaching and short-lasting antifouling effects. It does not release
heavy metals and has the advantages of long-lasting effect, being
environmentally friendly, and having a simple process, showing broad application prospects in the field of marine antifouling.