# Multiscale Construction of Ag-Embedded PDMS Slippery Coatings on Titanium Alloy for Synergistic Antifouling Performance

## TL;DR

A new slippery coating on titanium alloy shows strong antifouling properties by combining materials and laser techniques, offering a durable and eco-friendly solution for marine applications.

## Contribution

A novel multiscale PSL coating is developed with Ag-TiO2 nanoparticles and laser textures for enhanced, synergistic antifouling performance.

## Key findings

- The PSL coating showed superior resistance to protein adsorption, bacterial attachment, and diatom settlement.
- The coating reduced diatom concentration in the surrounding medium without fully eradicating it.
- The PSL coating retained slipperiness and oil retention after thermal aging.

## Abstract

Low-surface-energy and wettability-based antifouling coatings have garnered increasing attention in marine applications owing to their environmentally friendly characteristics. However, their limited functionality often results in suboptimal long-term antifouling performance, particularly under dynamic marine conditions. To address these limitations, a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based slippery (PSL) coating was fabricated on TC4 titanium alloy by integrating surface silanization via (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES), antimicrobial Ag-TiO2 nanoparticles, laser-induced hierarchical microtextures, and silicone oil infusion. The resulting PSL coating exhibited excellent oil retention and stable interfacial slipperiness even after thermal aging. Compared with bare TC4, low-surface-energy Ag-containing coatings, Ag-containing superhydrophobic coatings, and conventional slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS), the PSL coating demonstrated markedly superior resistance to protein adsorption, bacterial attachment, and diatom settlement, indicating an enhanced synergistic antifouling effect. Furthermore, it significantly reduced the diatom concentration in the surrounding medium without complete eradication, underscoring its eco-friendly and non-disruptive antifouling mechanism. This study offers a scalable, durable, and environmentally benign antifouling strategy for marine surface protection.