Ice Adhesion Research Articles

Regenerative Superhydrophobic Coatings for Enhanced Performance and Durability of High-Voltage Electrical Insulators in Cold Climates.

Superhydrophobic coatings can be a suitable solution for protecting vulnerable electrical infrastructures in regions with severe meteorological conditions. Regenerative superhydrophobicity, the ability to regain superhydrophobicity after being compromised or degraded, could address the issue of the low durability of these coatings. In this study, we fabricated a superhydrophobic coating comprising hydrophobic aerogel microparticles and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-modified silica nanoparticles within a PDMS matrix containing trifluoropropyl POSS (F-POSS) and XIAMETER PMX-series silicone oil as superhydrophobicity-regenerating agents. The fabricated coating exhibited a static contact angle of 169.5° and a contact angle hysteresis of 6°. This coating was capable of regaining its superhydrophobicity after various pH immersion and plasma deterioration tests. The developed coating demonstrated ice adhesion as low as 71.2 kPa, which remained relatively unchanged even after several icing/de-icing cycles. Furthermore, the coating exhibited a higher flashover voltage than the reference samples and maintained a minimal drop in flashover voltage after consecutive testing cycles. Given this performance, this developed coating can be an ideal choice for enhancing the lifespan of electrical insulators.

Study of the active anti-icing properties of modified biological antifreeze protein micro-surfacing

The accumulation of snow and ice on the surface of roadways can threaten driving safety, which is a major pain point in winter. To address the issue of pavement icing, this paper researched the biological antifreeze protein (AFP) filler, which was then mixed with a portion of mineral powder to create a blend. This blend was further combined with emulsified asphalt modified by a combination of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and waterborne epoxy resin (WER) to produce a micro-surfacing mixture with active anti-icing capabilities. The road performance tests were conducted to assess whether the anti-icing micro-surfacing mixture’s road performance was affected. Subsequently, improved and innovative anti-icing tests were conducted to evaluate the anti-icing performance of the anti-icing micro-surfacing. The anti-icing tests encompassed freezing tests, ice-melting and snow-melting tests, active de-icing simulation tests, and ice adhesion force tests. The road performance tests indicate that the incorporation of antifreeze filler enhances the resistance of the micro-surfacing mixture against water erosion during freeze-thaw cycles, with a minimal impact on rutting resistance and abrasion resistance. The freezing test demonstrates the excellent active antifreeze function of the anti-icing micro-surfacing. Furthermore, the ice-melting and snow-melting test reveals that the anti-icing micro-surfacing effectively speeds up the melting process of snow and ice on the surface of roadways. The active de-icing simulation test and adhesion test confirm that the anti-icing micro-surfacing significantly accelerates the rate of active de-icing. Overall, the anti-icing micro-surfacing demonstrates a significant active anti-icing effect while maintaining its road performance capabilities.

Self-regulated secretory materials for long-term icephobicity

Passive icephobic coatings attract increasing attention due to their harmless strategy for preventing undesirable ice accumulation. Slippery liquid-infused surfaces display extremely low ice adhesion (τice) but are argued for their poor stabilities and longevities due to inevitable liquid consumption. Herein we reported a class of lubricated polysiloxane coatings that can maintain low τice (∼2.2 kPa) for a long time (>800 icing/deicing cycle). The coatings have slippery lubricated surfaces and switchable porous matrices loading a large amount of liquid in isolated porevoids. Such droplet-embedded structure allows the surfaces to continuously maintain highly swelling states in a self-adaptive manner, i.e., only in the conditions icing or oil consumption occur dose oil is released, and thus show excellent long-term icephobicity. Besides, these materials exhibit good mechanical properties, antifatigue, and substrate adhesion. Because the coatings can be prepared via facile and green method from cheap starting materials, we foresee their broad application prospect in many fields.

Effect of the experimental parameters on the ice-asphalt adhesion strength and corresponding theoretical model based on the energy-balanced principle

Ice adhesion behavior plays a crucial role in assessing ice-phobic materials. However, the variation of ice-adhesion strength across different laboratories is attributed to the neglect of ice/substrate characteristics. In this work, ice-adhesion strength under different geometric parameters of ice/substrate on asphalt surfaces was examined through an optimized methodology. Additionally, a theoretical model was developed based on the energy balance principle to analyze the influence of various parameters on ice-adhesion strength and to make predictions. The results suggested that the ice-adhesion strength was positively correlated with the substrate thickness and negatively correlated with both the asphalt thickness and the ice diameter. The detachment process of the ice-asphalt interface was divided into two regions, the non-linear mechanical response region, and the linear damage region. The slope of the linear damage region can be defined as the interfacial stiffness of the ice-asphalt system, which was the main reason leading to the change in ice adhesion strength. The increase in ice-adhesion strength was observed as the interfacial stiffness increased. Moreover, the theoretical model of ice-adhesion strength illustrated the effect of ice/substrate geometric characteristics on ice-adhesion strength and was verified by the experiments. This study may provide some new references and a theoretical basis for further research on ice adhesion behavior in different laboratories.

Solid-like slippery surface for anti-icing and efficient fog collection

Ice accumulation on the surface of aerospace and transportation equipment under extreme weather seriously endangers the safety and efficiency of equipment operation. In recent years, metal corrosion, especially in the marine engineering industry, has become a global concern. The slippery liquid infused porous surface (SLIPS) is a new bionic surface which has caused extensive research in recent years, and has great potential in anti-corrosion and anti-icing. In this study, a multifunctional solid-like lubricated slippery surface (SL-SLIPS) was developed by superhydrophobic modification of the base of copper hydroxide nanoneedles and injection of solid-like lubricant synthesized by embedding oil-stored mesoporous silica nanoparticles on the surface of epoxy resin. At −30 °C, the delayed icing time on the surface of the SL-SLIPS sample was 22.6 times that of the original copper substrate. The ice adhesion was tested on the surface of the sample, and the results showed that the adhesion of the icicle on the SL-SLIPS surface was the smallest, which decreased by 89% compared with the original copper substrate. In addition, SL-SLIPS have excellent corrosion resistance and rapid droplet trapping, nucleation and drop. It has good practical application prospects in corrosion resistance of marine equipment and icing resistance of aerospace and transportation equipment. This study provides new ideas for the design of new slippery surfaces and their application in practical fields, such as anti-corrosion of offshore equipment, anti-icing of equipment in aviation and fog collection engineering in industry.

A Molecular Dynamics Analysis of the Thickness and Adhesion Characteristics of the Quasi-Liquid Layer at the Asphalt-Ice Interface.

The quasi-liquid layer (QLL), a microstructure located between ice and an adhering substrate, is critical in generating capillary pressure, which in turn influences ice adhesion behavior. This study employed molecular dynamics (MD) methods to obtain QLL thickness and utilized these measurements to estimate the adhesive strength between ice and asphalt. The research involved constructing an ice-QLL-asphalt MD model, encompassing four asphalt types and five temperature ranges from 250 K to 270 K. The QLL thickness was determined for various asphalts and temperatures using the tetrahedral order parameter gradient. Additionally, capillary pressure was calculated based on the QLL thickness and other geometric parameters obtained from the MD analysis. These findings were then compared with ice adhesion strength data acquired from pull-off tests. The results indicate that QLL thickness varies with different asphalt types and increases with temperature. At a constant temperature, the QLL thickness decreases in the order of the basal plane, primary prism plane, and secondary prism plane. Furthermore, the adhesion strength of the QLL diminishes as the temperature rises, attributed to the disruption of hydrogen bonds at lower temperatures. The greater the polarity of the asphalt's interface molecules, the stronger the adhesion strength and binding free energy. The MD simulations of the asphalt-ice interface offer insights into the atomic-scale adhesive properties of this interface, contributing to the enhancement in QLL property prediction and calibration at larger scales.

Multifunctional Anti-Icing Gel Surface with Enhanced Durability.

Materials with low ice adhesion and long-lasting anti-icing properties remain an ongoing challenge in ultralow temperature environments (≤-30 °C). This study presents a gel material consisting of a polymer matrix (copolymer of polyurethane and acrylamide) and an anti-icing agent, ethylene glycol (EG), designed for anti-icing applications at ultralow temperatures. The surface shows a prolonged droplet freezing delay of ca. 322 s at -30 °C and frost resistance properties. It also exhibits an ice adhesion strength of 1.1 kPa at -10 °C and 39.8 kPa at -50 °C, resulting from the interaction between EG and water molecules that hinders the crystallization of ice as well as the significant mismatch between elastic gel and ice. In addition, the gel surface exhibits favorable anti-icing durability, with an ice adhesion strength below 20.0 kPa after 25 icing/deicing cycles and mechanical scratch tests. The gel demonstrates remarkable thermal durability, achieved through the H-bonds between the EG and polymer matrix. The H-bonds further enhance the anti-icing performance, thereby remarkably decreasing EG depletion and improving anti-icing durability. Overall, these properties suggest the potential application of this gel material in harsh environments including polar regions.

Understanding the petal effect: Wetting properties and surface structure of natural rose petals and rose petal-derived surfaces

The petal effect is identified as a non-wetting state with high drop adhesion. The wetting behavior of petal surfaces is attributed to the papillose structure of their epidermis, which leads to a Cassie-Baxter regime combined with strong pinning sites. Under this scenario, sessile drops are pearl shaped and, unlike lotus-like surfaces, firmly attached to the surface. Petal surfaces are used as inspiration for the fabrication of functional parahydrophobic surfaces such as antibacterial or water-harvesting surfaces. In this work, two types of rose petals were replicated by using a templating technique based in Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) nanocasting. The topographic structure, the condensation mechanism under saturated environments and the wetting properties of the natural rose petal and their negative and positive replicas were analyzed. Finally, we performed prospective ice adhesion studies to elucidate whether petal-like surfaces may be used as deicing solutions.

Comparison of Anti-Icing, Antifouling, and Anticorrosion Performances of the Superhydrophobic and Lubricant-Infused Coatings Based on a Hollow-Structured Kapok Fiber.

The superhydrophobic surface and slippery liquid-infused porous surface (SLIPS)/lubricant-infused surface (LIS) have attracted increasing attention owing to their multifunctionality. However, their practical applications face several problems such as complex and inefficient preparation technology, loss of lubricant, and fragile microstructures. Therefore, new strategies for preparing microstructures must be developed for constructing superhydrophobic and lubricant-infused coatings. Herein, a low-cost and high-efficiency method for developing superhydrophobic and lubricant-infused coatings based on in situ grown TiO2 on the surface of a hollow kapok fiber (KF) is reported. The anti-icing, antifouling, and anticorrosion performance of the superhydrophobic and lubricant-infused coatings are compared. The superhydrophobic coating reduces the formation and accumulation of ice. The lubricant-infused coating exhibits an extremely low ice adhesion strength and durable anti-icing properties. The superhydrophobic and lubricant-infused coatings show the outstanding antifouling property of diatom; the superhydrophobic surface exhibits superior stability over LIS without an external force field. The lubricant-infused coating shows excellent corrosion resistance and durability when immersed in a 3.5% NaCl solution. The superhydrophobic coating loses its protection as a result of the corrosion media permeating the metal substrate via the electrolytic cell and coating interface, and the lubricant-infused coating provides lasting corrosion resistance because of the lubricant filling into the interface. Although the superhydrophobic coating is fragile and the lubricant-infused coating will lose lubricant, this simple and convenient approach can be repeated to keep the coatings active. This study provides new inspiration for the fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces and LIS based on natural products.

Icephobic Gradient Polymer Coatings Deposited via iCVD: A Novel Approach for Icing Control and Mitigation.

Materials against ice formation and accretion are highly desirable for different industrial applications and daily activities affected by icing. Although several concepts have been proposed, no material has so far shown wide-ranging icephobic features, enabling durability and manufacturing on large scales. Herein, we present gradient polymers made of 1,3,5,7-tetravinyl-1,3,5,7-tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane (V4D4) and 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyl acrylate (PFDA) deposited in one step via initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) as an effective coating to mitigate ice accretion and reduce ice adhesion. The gradient structures easily overcome adhesion, stability, and durability issues of traditional fluorinated coatings. The coatings show promising icephobic performance by reducing ice adhesion, depressing the freezing point, delaying drop freezing, and inhibiting ice nucleation and frost propagation. Icephobicity correlates with surface energy discontinuities at the surface plane resulting from the random orientation of the fluorinated groups of PFDA, as confirmed by grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction measurements. The icephobicity could be further improved by tuning the surface crystallinity rather than surface wetting, as samples with random crystal orientation show the lowest ice adhesion despite high contact angle hysteresis. The iCVD-manufactured coatings show promising results, indicating the potential for ice control on larger scales and various applications.

Modification of gelcoat based unsaturated polyester resin with functionalized octaspherosilicates to reduce the ice adhesion strength

Many composite structures used in various industries, such as wind turbines, aircraft, watercraft, lifeboats and others face the problem of ice build-up in winter seasons. The mechanical, thermal and chemical methods used so far to remove ice are inefficient, uneconomical and hurt the environment. Recently, surfaces have begun to be designed to eliminate or minimize ice accumulation, namely icephobic surfaces. The key parameter of such surfaces is the lowest possible ice adhesion strength (IA). One of the mechanisms for designing icephobic surfaces is a modification with compounds that direct hydrophobic properties. In this work, unsaturated polyester resin gelcoats modified with compounds from the group of octaspherosilicates with alkyl and methacrylic functional groups proposed as fluorine-free additives were investigated in terms of water repellent and ice adhesion. The surface roughness of the tested materials was measured. The surface zeta potential was also determined, which is new compared to available studies of surfaces for icephobic applications. The work also presents microstructure observations of the surface. Almost all of the modifiers increased the water contact angle (WCA), modifying the reference material from hydrophilic to slightly hydrophobic. The highest WCA was equal to 94°. The most important IA parameter was decreased by 56% compared to the unmodified gelcoat, with a value of 152 kPa. In addition, the study observed that the lowest value of IA correlated with the lowest value of CAH. The highest reduction in CAH was 44% compared to the reference sample. The roughness, wettability and IA parameters were determined before and after UV exposure to investigate modified gelcoats durability.

A PDMS coating with excellent durability for large-scale deicing

The icing of wind turbine blades leads to a decrease in output power, seriously jeopardizing the economic benefits and operational reliability of wind farms. Conventional deicing techniques require expensive equipment and consume a large amount of energy. Low-interfacial toughness coatings without energy dissipation are believed to be a highly potential passive deicing technology. However, the durability in service is facing challenges. Herein, low-interfacial toughness PDMS coatings were prepared by physical blending. Through the optimization of added plasticizers and SiO2, PDMS coatings with excellent large-scale deicing performance were obtained. The constant deicing force and ice adhesion strength were reduced to 14.69 N/cm and 12.63 kPa, respectively. Moreover, a systematic durability assessment of the PDMS coating was carried out to address the actual operating conditions of wind turbines. Fortunately, the results showed that the PDMS coating could withstand 200 icing/deicing cycles while maintaining constant deicing force and ice adhesion strength of less than 50 N/cm and 30 kPa, respectively. After long-term thermal aging (21 days), UV irradiation (42 days) and salt spray corrosion (20 days), the PDMS coating still retained superior icephobicity and outstanding large-scale deicing performance. This work contributes to the research and development of low-interfacial toughness materials for large-scale deicing applications on wind turbine blades.

A simple fabrication of liquid-like polydimethylsiloxane coating for resisting ice adhesion.

The rapid realization of efficient anti-icing coatings on diverse substrates is of vital value for practical applications. However, current approaches for rapid preparations of anti-icing coatings are still deficient regarding their surface universality and accessibility. Here, we report a simple processing approach to rapidly form icephobic liquid-like polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) brushes on various substrates, including metals, ceramics, glass, and plastics. A poly(dimethylsiloxane), trimethoxysilane is applied as a reactant under the catalysis of a minimal amount of acid formed by hydrolysis of dichlorodimethylsilane. With such an advantage, this approach is approved to be applicable of coating metal surfaces with less corrosion. The distinctive flexibility of the PDMS chains provides a liquid-like property to the coating showing low contact angle hysteresis and ice adhesion strength. Notably, the ice adhesion strength remains similar across a wide temperature window, from -70 to -10 °C, with a value of 18.4kPa. The PDMS brushes demonstrate perfect capability for resisting acid and alkali corrosions, ultra-violet degradation, and even tens of icing/deicing cycles. Moreover, the liquid-like coating can also form at supercooling conditions, such as -20 °C, and shows an outstanding anti-icing/deicing performance, which meets the in situ coating reformation requirement under extreme conditions when it is damaged. This instantly forming anti-icing material will benefit from resisting instantaneous ice accretion on surfaces under extremely cold conditions.

Icephobic Coating Based on Novel SLIPS Made of Infused PTFE Fibers for Aerospace Application.

The development of slippery surfaces has been widely investigated due to their excellent icephobic properties. A distinct kind of an ice-repellent structure known as a slippery liquid-infused porous surface (SLIPS) has recently drawn attention due to its simplicity and efficacy as a passive ice-protection method. These surfaces are well known for exhibiting very low ice adhesion values (τice < 20 kPa). In this study, pure Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fibers were fabricated using the electrospinning process to produce superhydrophobic (SHS) porous coatings on samples of the aeronautical alloy AA6061-T6. Due to the high fluorine-carbon bond strength, PTFE shows high resistance and chemical inertness to almost all corrosive reagents as well as extreme hydrophobicity and high thermal stability. However, these unique properties make PTFE difficult to process. For this reason, to develop PTFE fibers, the electrospinning technique has been used by an PTFE nanoparticles (nP PTFE) dispersion with addition of a very small amount of polyethylene oxide (PEO) followed with a sintering process (380 °C for 10 min) to melt the nP PTFE together and form uniform fibers. Once the porous matrix of PTFE fibers is attached, lubricating oil is added into the micro/nanoscale structure in the SHS in place of air to create a SLIPS. The experimental results show a high-water contact angle (WCA) ≈ 150° and low roll-off angle (αroll-off) ≈ 22° for SHS porous coating and a decrease in the WCA ≈ 100° and a very low αroll-off ≈ 15° for SLIPS coating. On one hand, ice adhesion centrifuge tests were conducted for two types of icing conditions (glaze and rime) accreted in an ice wind tunnel (IWT), as well as static ice at different ice adhesion centrifuge test facilities in order to compare the results for SHS, SLIPs and reference materials. This is considered a preliminary step in standardization efforts where similar performance are obtained. On the other hand, the ice adhesion results show 65 kPa in the case of SHS and 4.2 kPa of SLIPS for static ice and <10 kPa for rime and glace ice. These results imply a significant improvement in this type of coatings due to the combined effect of fibers PTFE and silicon oil lubricant.

Fabrication of a superhydrophobic surface with photothermal electrical conversion performance for anti-icing

The development of anti-icing technology is an effective way to decrease the harm caused by ice accumulation on the surface of materials. In this work, the polypropylene with candle soot and micro-nano structures on its surface (the PP/CS replica) is prepared using a template method. The micro-nano structures are formed on the PP/CS replica surface after hot-pressing. The surface water contact angle of the PP/CS replica is up to 163° and the rolling angle is as low as 2°. The PP/CS replica still has superhydrophobic performance after water flow impact, friction and immersion. The freezing time of the water droplet is delayed and the ice adhesion strength is reduced on the PP/CS replica surface, owing to the micro-nano structures. The PP/CS replica surface has excellent photothermal performance, and the surface temperature can reach 89 °C under simulated sunlight illumination, which accelerates the melting of ice. The photothermal electrical conversion is achieved by the combination of the PP/CS replica and the thermoelectric generator, with an output power up to 604 mW. The solar energy can be effectively utilized.

To be or not to be a hydrophobic matrix? the role of coating hydrophobicity on anti-icing behavior and ions mobility of ionic liquids

The demand for anti-icing coatings to endure extremely low temperatures is substantial. Despite the innovative pioneering research on the anti-icing potential of ionic liquids (ILs), the development of such coatings is still in its infancy. Our study investigates how matrix hydrophobicity influences mobility of ILs at subzero temperatures and, consequently, their anti-icing behavior. Wettability results highlight the key role of IL anion hydrophobicity. Dielectric spectroscopy distinguishes ion mobility in the coatings at low temperatures. We also investigate how varying crosslink density affects ion mobility by measuring the water absorbency. Higher mobility of released ILs from the coatings at subzero was confirmed by their presence in water solutions, validated with UV–vis spectroscopy, and resulted in increased ionic conductivity. Differential scanning calorimetry and experimental setups were employed to assess ice formation temperature, time, and ice adhesion strength. Notably, surfaces containing IL exhibited a remarkable reduction in ice formation temperature to –23.5 ℃ and achieved an exceptionally low ice adhesion strength (∼15 kPa), attributed to the formation of a quasi-liquid layer (QLL). Solid-state NMR spectroscopy provided confirmation of the existence of QLL at the interface. Ice adhesion strength of coatings was examined against accelerated weathering, icing/de-icing cycles, as well as endurance against frost formation under freeze–thaw. Our findings underscore the significance of selecting the right matrix with regards to hydrophobicity and ILs when designing coatings for subfreezing applications.

Lubricated PDMS-bearing ladderlike polysilsesquioxane coating: Fabrication and factors governing its long-term ice-shedding performance

Reacting an epoxy-bearing ladder-like polysilsesquioxane (LASQ) with mono-carboxy-terminated poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS-COOH) yields LASQ-PDMS, a blend of LASQ and a graft (g) copolymer LASQ-g-PDMS. Photolyzing a cast film of LASQ-PDMS containing a cationic ring-opening polymerization initiator produces a robust and wear-resistant coating. Such a coating presents a liquid-like surface PDMS brush layer that imparts anti-smudge and ice-shedding properties. These properties are significantly enhanced via the application of a silicone oil (SO) as a lubricant. Investigated in this study are the effects of changing the molecular weight and mass fraction of PDMS as well as the molecular weight of a SO or composition of a SO mixture on properties of the lubricated LASQ-PDMS coating. These properties include the coating’s hardness, water repellence, wear resistance, SO retainability, initial ice adhesion strength (τ), variation of τ with the number of abrasions made by steel wool on a coating, and variation of τ with the number of icing/de-icing cycles. This systematic study establishes the exceptional wear resistance of the LASQ-PDMS coatings and reveals SO retainability as the primary factor governing the long-term ice-shedding performance of the coatings.

Ice Adhesion Properties on Micropillared Superhydrophobic Surfaces.

In this work, we investigate the freezing behavior and ice adhesion properties of sessile drops on micropillared superhydrophobic surfaces (SHSs) with various sizes, which are of practical importance for anti/deicing. First of all, it is demonstrated that the recalescence is related only to the supercooling degree of drops but not to the geometrical parameters of micropillars. The freezing time of sessile drops first increases and then decreases with the area fraction of the SHSs, which demonstrates the nonmonotonic dependence of the icing time on the area fraction. Moreover, the influence of the geometrical parameters of the micropillars on the ice adhesion is discussed. With the decrease of the substrate temperature, the wetting state of the adhesive ice can be transformed from the Cassie ice to the Wenzel ice. For the Cassie ice, the adhesive force is proportional to the area fraction of the SHSs. Interestingly, experimental results show that there exist two interfacial debonding modes of the Wenzel ice: translational debonding and rotational debonding. Furthermore, it is found that the rotational debonding mode contributes to a much lower adhesive force between the ice and the micropillared surface compared to that of the translational debonding mode. By analyzing the critical interfacial energy release rate of the two modes, we deduce the threshold between the two modes, which is quantified as the geometrical parameters of the micropillars. In addition, quantitative relations between the geometrical parameters and the adhesion strengths of the two modes are also obtained. We envision that this work would shed new light on the design optimization of anti/deicing materials.

Facile Approach for Designing Icephobic Coatings Using Polymers/Silica Nanoparticle Composites via Self‐Formation of Superhydrophobic Surfaces

AbstractIce accumulation and proliferation adversely affect the activities of various residential, commercial, and polar research stations. Although significant efforts are devoted to preventing ice adhesion to various surfaces by developing various anti‐icing coatings, it is still necessary to enhance overall performance and durability. Herein, a facile approach is proposed for fabricating an icephobic coating on an aluminum 6061 (Al) substrate, by coating a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)/ poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) composite through a spin‐coating method, followed by sprinkling of SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs). Crosslinker/binder‐free adhesion between PDMS and PTFE is achieved by utilizing secondary‐induced electrostatic dipole‐dipole interactions, these interactions are supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations as well as structural studies. Moreover, the controlled addition of PTFE powder to PDMS improves the water‐repellency, mechanical strength, and surface roughness of the coating. The self‐formation of the superhydrophobic state of the PDMS/PTFE composite is achieved by sprinkling SiO2 NPs. The sprinkled SiO2 NPs are protected by the PDMS/PTFE composite, which serves as a stress concentrator to achieve low ice adhesion. Furthermore, freezing at low temperatures can be delayed by controlling the heat flow rate, interfacial contact area, and surface texture. This indicates the feasibility of the proposed method for various promising anti‐icing applications.

Round-Robin Study for Ice Adhesion Tests

Ice adhesion tests are widely used to assess the performance of potential icephobic surfaces and coatings. A great variety of test designs have been developed and used over the past decades due to the lack of formal standards for these types of tests. In many cases, the aim of the research was not only to determine ice adhesion values, but also to understand the key surface properties correlated to low ice adhesion surfaces. Data from different measurement techniques had low correspondence between the results: Values varied by orders of magnitude and showed different relative relationships to one another. This study sought to provide a broad comparison of ice adhesion testing approaches by conducting different ice adhesion tests with identical test surfaces. A total of 15 test facilities participated in this round-robin study, and the results of 13 partners are summarized in this paper. For the test series, ice types (impact and static) as well as test parameters were harmonized to minimize the deviations between the test setups. Our findings are presented in this paper, and the ice- and test-specific results are discussed. This study can improve our understanding of test results and support the standardization process for ice adhesion strength measurements.