Facile Construction of Robust Multilayered PEG Films on Polydopamine-Coated Solid Substrates for Marine Antifouling Applications

We report an effective and versatile approach to control marine fouling on artificial surfaces based on specific chemical interactions found in marine mussels. The approach consists of mussel-inspired polydopamine coating, spin-coating-assisted deposition of poly­(ethylene glycol) (PEG) catechols, and their cross-linking via catechol–Fe³⁺–catechol interactions. Using this approach, multilayered PEG films that were highly resistant to marine diatom adhesion were successfully constructed on various substrates, such as stainless steel, nylon, titanium oxide, and silicon oxide. We believe that our results will provide a basis for the construction of a marine antifouling agent that can be applied by a large variety of industries owing to its applicability to different types of substrates and stability under marine environments