Preparations of superhydrophobic surfaces using the one-step spin coating method and characterizations of their anti-icing behavior

Abstract

AbstractSuperhydrophobic surfaces with an excellent anti-icing performance were prepared on an aluminum substrate using a simple one-step spin coating method. The wettability, morphology, and surface compositions of the prepared surfaces were characterized using the measuring instrument for contact angle and sliding angle, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, respectively. The contact angle of the as-prepared superhydrophobic surfaces was as high as 165 ± 1.5°, and the sliding angle was less than 5° for a 4 μL pure water droplet, indicating excellent superhydrophobicity and low adhesion. The effects of addition of ZnO powders in different amounts on the morphology and wettability were further analyzed. Moreover, the anti-icing performance of the superhydrophobic surfaces was investigated using a simple lab-made icing monitoring apparatus, and the results are discussed using the one dimensional heat transfer and classical nucleation theory. It was found that the theoretical icing time of the superhydrophobic sample was about five times longer than that of the reference sample whereas for the untreated aluminum, the contact angle was 72 ± 1.5°, which was nearly consistent with the experimental results. The present study demonstrates that the prepared superhydrophobic surface can delay the icing time and decrease the icing temperature, and could be found potential applications in various industries.