Fabrication of bioinspired closed chute structure on TC4 surface by double laser beam ablation for enhanced dynamic anti-icing performance

Abstract

The dynamic behavior of water droplets plays an important role in anti-icing performance, as when they impact on superhydrophobic surfaces, the rebound process effectively removes potential ice crystal nuclei on the surface, thereby reducing ice condensation and accumulation, ultimately preventing ice formation. In this study, inspired by the cuticle structure of springtails and the tilted arrangement of pigeon feathers, a bionic superhydrophobic surface with closed chute structure is proposed. The closed chute structure reduces the adhesion force between the surface and water droplets, enhancing directional rebounding ability and accelerating water droplets' separation from the surface for enhanced anti-icing performance. Considering the morphology of hierarchical closed structures is difficult to be regulated by single laser beam ablation, the superhydrophobic surface with closed chute structure is successfully fabricated by double laser beam ablation. This method optimizes the spatial distribution of the laser energy field by adjusting the rotation angle of the half-wave plate (HWP). By combining the analysis of micromorphology, elemental distribution, dynamic and static anti-icing tests etc., it is verified that the superhydrophobic surface with closed chute structure can improve the dynamic anti-icing performance, which provides a new method for anti-icing design in engineering field.