Hagfish‐inspired Smart SLIPS Marine Antifouling Coating Based on Supramolecular: Lubrication Modes Responsively Switching and Self‐healing Properties

Abstract

Slippery liquid‐infused porous surface (SLIPS) has received widespread attention in the antifouling field, while its controllability of surface lubricity and durability of lubricant are relatively insufficient. In this study, inspired by the hagfish's defensive behavior of secreting mucus to escape from predators, a smart SLIPS marine antifouling coating is prepared, which possesses responsively switching lubrication modes and self‐healing property. The responsive supramolecular interaction between azobenzene (Azo) and α‐cyclodextrin (α‐CD) is introduced to regulate the lubricity of SLIPS. cis‐Azo is converted to trans and combined with α‐CD by supramolecular interaction under visible light or heating, driving the shrinkage of polymer chains to squeeze the stored lubricant to the surface. The responsive self‐replenishment of lubricant can adjust the surface lubricity to switch antifouling modes between “enhancive” and “normal” smartly, which adapts to different occasions. Moreover, disulfide and hydrogen bonds are introduced to enhance self‐healing performance (91.73%). In summary, it has efficient self‐cleaning, anti‐protein, antibacterial, anti‐algae properties, and 180‐day real marine field antifouling performance during boom season (the longest antifouling period in real marine field test of reported SLIPS materials), which demonstrates the promising application in neritic sea equipment and other antifouling fields.