Moth-Eye Mimicking Solid Slippery Glass Surface with Icephobicity, Transparency, and Self-Healing

Abstract

Slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPSs) have been actively studied to improve the limitations of superhydrophobic (SHP) surfaces, especially the defects of the nonwetting chemical coating layer and the weak mechanical robustness of surface micro/nanostructures. However, the SLIPSs also have several drawbacks including volatilization and leakage of lubricant caused by long-term usage. In this study, we suggest the use of icephobic, highly transparent, and self-healing solid slippery surface to overcome the limitations of both surfaces (SLIPS and SHP) by combining specific biomimetic morphology and intrinsic properties of paraffin wax. A moth-eye mimicking nanopillar structure was prepared instead of a porous structure and was coated with solid paraffin wax for water repellence. Moth-eye structures enable high surface transparency based on antireflective effect, and the paraffin layer can recover from damage due to sunlight exposure. Furthermore, the paraffin coating on the nanopillars provides an air trap, resulting in a low heat transfer rate, increasing freezing time and reducing adhesion strength between the ice droplet and the surface. The heat transfer model was also calculated to elucidate the effects of the nanopillar height and paraffin layer thickness. The antireflection and freezing time of the surfaces are enhanced with increase in nanopillar height. The paraffin layer slightly deteriorates the transmittance but enhances the icephobicity. The solar cell efficiency using a biomimetic solid slippery surface is higher than that of bare glass due to the antireflective effect. This integrated biomimetic solid slippery surface is multifunctional due to its self-cleaning, anti-icing, antireflection, and self-healing properties and may replace SLIPS and SHP surfaces.