Resistance of a Polymer Composition with a Biocidal Effect to the Exposure of a Tropical Marine Environment

The results of a study of the resistance of a polymer composition based on epoxy resin with a biocidal effect to the exposure of the marine environment of the tropical climate have been presented. The biocidal effect was achieved by using dispersed copper(I) oxide particles, both encapsulated with polylactide and unencapsulated particles. It has been shown that the highest efficiency of the biocidal effect, along with the best strength indicators of such a composition, is observed at a mass fraction of encapsulated particles of ~0.7–0.8%. The tensile strength of the corresponding composition increases by 30% compared to the unfilled polymer. This is due to the formation of additional cross-links in the polymer network as a result of the interaction of the encapsulated particles with the polymer. A twofold decrease in strength characteristics has been noted after climatic tests. This is due to severe damage to the surface of the samples under study. The paper shows that the proposed approach to creating a biocidal composition using encapsulated particles is more effective when using such materials in the air, rather than in the sea environment of a tropical climate.