Layer-by-layer constructed hyaluronic acid/chitosan multilayers as antifouling and fouling-release coatings

Polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) consisting of hyaluronic acid (HA) and chitosan (Ch) are extensively studied for biomedical applications and suppress bacterial and protein attachment. Here, we prepared and tested HA/Ch PEMs as marine fouling-release coatings. PEMs were constructed by layer-by-layer assembly using spin coating. The multilayers were crosslinked for enhanced stability in the sea water environment by chemical and thermal treatment. Protein-repelling properties of the crosslinked multilayers were investigated by surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. The marine antifouling and fouling-release properties were tested against the settlement of zoospores of the green alga Ulva linza and the subsequent development and removal of sporelings. With spin coating and thermal crosslinking, a thick yet homogeneous coating was obtained with antifouling properties against marine algal zoospores indicating the potential of these compounds for application in protective coatings.