Amphiphilic Copolymer Coating for Antifouling at Air-Liquid Interfaces

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing antifouling materials, such as biocide-based coatings and hydrophilic coatings, are ineffective at the solid-liquid-air interface and pose environmental hazards, leading to biofilm formation and ecological damage.

Innovation Solution

Development of amphiphilic copolymers with zwitterionic and fluorinated moieties that form a strong hydration layer to prevent fouling, utilizing repeat units with zwitterionic structural units and hydrophobic fluorinated moieties to enhance antifouling properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If biocide-based coatings are used to prevent fouling, then antifouling effectiveness is improved, but environmental harm increases due to ecotoxicity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantifouling effectivenessVSAvoidenvironmental harm

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful hydrophobic effect that normally promotes biofouling into a beneficial antifouling mechanism by using fluorinated moieties to create extreme water repellency at the solid-liquid-air interface, preventing biofilm formation without toxic biocides

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the surface energy parameters by incorporating fluorinated moieties with extremely low surface energy, creating a surface that is highly water-repellent and resistant to biofouling, while maintaining environmental compatibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If hydrophilic coatings are used to form hydration layers, then environmental friendliness is improved, but effectiveness at solid-liquid-air interface deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental friendlinessVSAvoidantifouling effectiveness at interface

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different properties to different locations: hydrophilic zwitterionic moieties provide hydration and environmental compatibility in the bulk, while hydrophobic fluorinated moieties provide water repellency and antifouling effectiveness specifically at the solid-liquid-air interface

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite material system combining zwitterionic hydrophilic moieties and fluorinated hydrophobic moieties in a single copolymer, achieving both environmental friendliness and interfacial antifouling effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If amphiphilic copolymers with fluorinated moieties are used, then water repellency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater repellencyVSAvoidcopolymer structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the copolymer into distinct functional units: zwitterionic hydrophilic segments provide hydration and environmental compatibility, while fluorinated hydrophobic segments provide water repellency and interfacial antifouling, with each segment performing its specific function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The copolymers effectively inhibit biofilm formation and reduce environmental impact by creating a robust hydration layer that prevents fouling at the air-liquid-solid interface, offering enhanced biofouling resistance.

Implementation Method 1

form a strong hydration layer via hydrogen bonding and/or electrostatic interactions with water molecules

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydration: Solvation

Implementation Method 2

electrostatic interactions between their charged groups and induced dipole in water molecules

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrostatic interactions: Electrostatics

Implementation Method 3

some polymer brush-based antifouling coatings, such as poly(ethylene oxide) [PEO] brushes, have been hypothesized to repel foulants via entropic effects

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrophobic effect: Hydrophobe

Implementation Method 4

repel foulants via entropic effects (in addition to the aforementioned enthalpic penalty), e.g., the resistance to polymer chain compression

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEntropic effects:

Data Source

PatentUS12522683B2Amphiphilic copolymer with zwitterionic and fluorinated moieties

Publication Date: 2026.01.13 CORNELL UNIVERSITY

AI summary

Provided are amphiphilic copolymers that include repeat units of formulas [Z]m and [P]n, wherein Z is a zwitterionic structural unit including at least one pendant heteroaromatic moiety, the heteroaromatic moiety containing a positively charged quaternary nitrogen atom (e.g., a pyridine ring), and wherein at least one negatively charged functional moiety is linked to the heteroaromatic moiety directly or through a linker, wherein the linker, where present, is an optionally substituted alkyl linker; P is a structural unit including a hydrophobic moiety, the hydrophobic moiety being a linear, branched, or cyclic fluorine-substituted C1-C20 moiety; m is an integer that is ≥1; and n is an integer that is ≥1.