Anti-fouling coating composition, process for applying same and coating

Abstract

The anti-fouling compositions and process described herein are capable of preventing or delaying for prolonged periods the fouling of structures such as boats, ships, piers, etc., having substantial portions thereof submerged in water. Processes are described herein for preparing and applying these compositions as coatings to objects to be submerged in sea water. These compositions comprise a number of components, some of which may be coreacted, including: (a) an organic polymeric material having carboxylic acid groups therein which have been reacted with a trihydrocarbyl tin compound to produce ester derivative groups therein; (b) a hydrophilic component having poor water solubility, preferably being water insoluble and having at least two hydroxy groups per molecule, such as castor oil, partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetate, partially hydrolyzed copolymers of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate, hydroxy-containing polyacrylates or polymethacrylates, such as ply(2-hydroxy-ethyl methacrylate), polymers of monovinyl ether of alkylene glycols such as ethylene glycol, etc.; (c) a hydrophobic component comprising a compound having 1-3 urethane groups therein and no more than about 20 carbon atoms preferably made by the reaction of an isocyanate compound, such as diisocyanate, with one or more hydroxy-containing solvents, such as ethanol, propanol, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, etc., or a monoisocyanate with a di- or tri-hydroxy compound such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerine, etc., preferably in the presence of low molecular weight ketones, esters and aromatic hydrocarbons, such as methyl ethyl ketone, cyclohexanone, toluene, etc.