Research Advances in Low Surface Energy Antifouling Coatings for Ships With Structural Bionic Properties

ABSTRACT Ship surface fouling poses serious constraints on ship navigation and the marine environment. Now that the traditionally harmful antifouling coatings have been banned worldwide, the development of new antifouling coatings for ships that are environmentally friendly and functionally stable is imminent. Low surface energy antifouling coatings with structural biomimetic properties are the safest, most environmentally friendly, and effective breakthrough in preventing fouling deposits on hull surfaces. This article first explains the antifouling mechanism of antifouling coatings, comprehensively describes the morphology of the bionic microstructure, and summarizes the construction method of the bionic structure. On this basis, the low surface energy properties of fluorine‐containing and silicone‐containing materials, as well as the current application development in antifouling coatings for ships, are analyzed. In addition, the article describes the application of stimulus–response in antifouling coatings. This article reviews the research progress in low surface energy coatings based on biomimetic structures in recent years, presents the current challenges and future development directions in this field, and provides unique insights to further optimize the performance of these antifouling coatings.