Fabrication and testing of a multifunctional SiO2@ZnO core–shell nanospheres incorporated polymer coating for sustainable marine transport

Abstract We report the development of a coating system relying on the incorporation of SiO2@ZnO core–shell nanospheres in polyurethane media as a novel approach to achieve longevity and sustainability in marine transport. This polymeric coating showed significant improvement in surface abrasion resi...

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Main Authors: Jaya Verma, Yanquan Geng, Jiqiang Wang, Saurav Goel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2023-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-39423-9
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author Jaya Verma
Yanquan Geng
Jiqiang Wang
Saurav Goel
author_facet Jaya Verma
Yanquan Geng
Jiqiang Wang
Saurav Goel
author_sort Jaya Verma
collection DOAJ
description Abstract We report the development of a coating system relying on the incorporation of SiO2@ZnO core–shell nanospheres in polyurethane media as a novel approach to achieve longevity and sustainability in marine transport. This polymeric coating showed significant improvement in surface abrasion resistance, the transition from a hydrophilic state to a hydrophobic state (~ 125.2° ± 2°), improved antifungal, antibacterial and antialgae effects which make the proposed coating ideal to protect steel surfaces against biofouling. To substantiate our claims, we performed X-ray diffraction, Transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning acoustic microscopy, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), contact angle measurements, antimicrobial (antialgal, antibacterial, antifungal) tests and Taber abrasion tests (ASTM D1044 and D4060) to highlight the mechanical and biological functionality as well as the bonding configuration of this coating. The wear analysis of the Taber abraded coating using SEM and optical microscopy showed significant improvement in the adhesion and shear resistance achieved by the SiO2@ZnO core–shell nanospheres incorporated PU coating which was a contrasting feature compared to using PU alone. The overall investigations we performed led us to find out that the addition of 4% (wt.) SiO2@ZnO core–shell nanoparticles to the PU media deposited on the low carbon steel surface demonstrated remarkable antimicrobial performance with almost no bacterial growth, significant reductions in growth for algae to about 90% and fungus to about 95%.
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spelling doaj.art-12bfef06c059482ca2fb6333c15149b52023-07-30T11:12:02ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-07-0113111810.1038/s41598-023-39423-9Fabrication and testing of a multifunctional SiO2@ZnO core–shell nanospheres incorporated polymer coating for sustainable marine transportJaya Verma0Yanquan Geng1Jiqiang Wang2Saurav Goel3School of Engineering, London South Bank UniversityCenter for Precision Engineering, Harbin Institute of TechnologyCenter for Precision Engineering, Harbin Institute of TechnologySchool of Engineering, London South Bank UniversityAbstract We report the development of a coating system relying on the incorporation of SiO2@ZnO core–shell nanospheres in polyurethane media as a novel approach to achieve longevity and sustainability in marine transport. This polymeric coating showed significant improvement in surface abrasion resistance, the transition from a hydrophilic state to a hydrophobic state (~ 125.2° ± 2°), improved antifungal, antibacterial and antialgae effects which make the proposed coating ideal to protect steel surfaces against biofouling. To substantiate our claims, we performed X-ray diffraction, Transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning acoustic microscopy, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), contact angle measurements, antimicrobial (antialgal, antibacterial, antifungal) tests and Taber abrasion tests (ASTM D1044 and D4060) to highlight the mechanical and biological functionality as well as the bonding configuration of this coating. The wear analysis of the Taber abraded coating using SEM and optical microscopy showed significant improvement in the adhesion and shear resistance achieved by the SiO2@ZnO core–shell nanospheres incorporated PU coating which was a contrasting feature compared to using PU alone. The overall investigations we performed led us to find out that the addition of 4% (wt.) SiO2@ZnO core–shell nanoparticles to the PU media deposited on the low carbon steel surface demonstrated remarkable antimicrobial performance with almost no bacterial growth, significant reductions in growth for algae to about 90% and fungus to about 95%.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-39423-9
spellingShingle Jaya Verma
Yanquan Geng
Jiqiang Wang
Saurav Goel
Fabrication and testing of a multifunctional SiO2@ZnO core–shell nanospheres incorporated polymer coating for sustainable marine transport
Scientific Reports
title Fabrication and testing of a multifunctional SiO2@ZnO core–shell nanospheres incorporated polymer coating for sustainable marine transport
title_full Fabrication and testing of a multifunctional SiO2@ZnO core–shell nanospheres incorporated polymer coating for sustainable marine transport
title_fullStr Fabrication and testing of a multifunctional SiO2@ZnO core–shell nanospheres incorporated polymer coating for sustainable marine transport
title_full_unstemmed Fabrication and testing of a multifunctional SiO2@ZnO core–shell nanospheres incorporated polymer coating for sustainable marine transport
title_short Fabrication and testing of a multifunctional SiO2@ZnO core–shell nanospheres incorporated polymer coating for sustainable marine transport
title_sort fabrication and testing of a multifunctional sio2 zno core shell nanospheres incorporated polymer coating for sustainable marine transport
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-39423-9
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AT jiqiangwang fabricationandtestingofamultifunctionalsio2znocoreshellnanospheresincorporatedpolymercoatingforsustainablemarinetransport
AT sauravgoel fabricationandtestingofamultifunctionalsio2znocoreshellnanospheresincorporatedpolymercoatingforsustainablemarinetransport