Effect of Different Aluminium Surface Treatments on Ice Adhesion Strength

Abstract

Excessive ice accumulation on power network equipment can affect their integrity and cause damage with serious socioeconomic consequences. To mitigate that, de-icing techniques (mechanical or thermal) have been developed, but these techniques are often limited in their application and are generally expensive and time consuming. Recently, companies and research groups have focused on the development and application of icephobic coatings such as superhydrophobic materials intended to drastically reduce ice adhesion force on exposed equipments. The aim of this paper is the examine the influence of aluminium surface treatments on ice adhesion. Preparation of new and various aluminium surface treatments as well as the need to improve the knowledge of the mechanisms involved in ice adhesion are part of this research. Depending of the type of materials, surface roughness can either promote the formation of air pockets within pores or between coating surface asperities (low adhesion strength), or it can create ice mechanical anchoring if water partially or totally penetrates the porosity. Aluminium anodization using phosphoric acid was studied. Surface morphology was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy and measurements of ice adhesion strength were performed using a centrifuge technique. Based on these results, several surface treatments of aluminium have been considered including aluminium anodizing with partial Al2O3 etching followed by different sealing steps using hydrophobic polymer compounds such as polytetrafluoroethylene.