Parylene F coatings for combating marine biofouling

[Display omitted] •Parylene F has a wrinkled surface with low surface energy.•Parylene F can resist adhesion of bacteria and algae.•Parylene F has the potential in the marine antifouling applications. Parylene is an excellent barrier material used widely in many fields. In this work, parylene F was deposited on a polydimethylsiloxane substrate via chemical vapor deposition. We found that parylene F coatings could resist adhesion of bacteria and algae. The wrinkled surface topography, low surface free energy, and negative surface charge of parylene F facilitated an excellent antifouling performance. These findings provide a deeper understanding of parylene F, thereby expanding the scope of its application potential. Specifically, parylene F coatings show promise for marine antifouling applications.