Changes in the interfacial stress of water on aluminum alloy surface during the freezing and thawing process

Abstract

In a low-temperature environment, water or moisture adhere to the material surface and freeze into ice, and it is not easy to remove. The accumulated ice has affected many engineering fields. In the study, the change law of the interface stress related to the ice adhesion strength during the freezing process of water on the aluminum alloy was studied under different test conditions. The experiment found that the maximum freezing interface stress of water on the aluminum alloy surface gradually increased with the decrease of the test temperature and the increase of the water volume. Combined with the analysis of the freezing process, the interface stress gradually increased after the water on the aluminum alloy surface entered into the supercooled state. Due to the influence of heat released by phase change and volume expansion, the freezing interface stress of ice could be reduced. Afterward, the freezing interface stress remained stable. During the thawing process, the interfacial stress increased suddenly and then gradually decreased with the temperature of the test temperature rise to a room temperature of 20 °C. The present research would be helpful to understand the mechanism of ice adhesion on the material surface and the formation mechanism of ice adhesion strength, and provide a reference for the development and optimization of anti/de-icing technology in the engineering field.