Deicing Properties Research Articles

Multifunctional laser-ablated lubricant-infused slippery film with self-sensing and anti-icing/deicing properties

In this paper, we have developed a multifunctional laser-ablated lubricant-infused slippery film (MLLSF) by combining laser-induced graphene and lubricant-infused processes. Due to its lubricant-infused slippery surface characteristics, the MLLSF can decrease the ice adhesion strength to 7 kPa and prolong the ice time to 5 min at -20 °C. At the same time, benefitting from the outstanding photothermal effect of the laser-induced graphene conductive network, the surface temperature can rapidly rise from -20 °C to 45.6 °C in 60 s under 808-NIL illumination, thereby effectively melting the ice. More importantly, owing to the temperature sensing ability of the LIG conductive network, the prepared MLLSF can monitor the whole process of droplet icing and deicing process in real time. Therefore, this MLLSF with self-sensing, anti-icing and deicing properties has important practical values in monitoring and removing ice.

Anti-icing and de-icing properties of composite superhydrophobic coating with microwave heating performance on asphalt pavement

Severe icing on asphalt pavements significantly impacts traffic safety and efficiency. Superhydrophobic coatings exhibit excellent hydrophobic and anti-icing properties, making them suitable for asphalt pavements. However, the formation of dense and hard ice limits their anti-icing effectiveness in cold regions. Within this paper, we have developed a novel composite superhydrophobic coating (CSC) with microwave heating performance by constructing a hierarchical structure using carbon nanotubes and incorporating micron-sized iron powder as a primary microwave-absorbing material. Scanning electron microscopy, 3D confocal microscopy, and contact angle tests reveal that the optimally mixed CSC possesses a complex micro-nano hierarchical structure, superhydrophobic properties (contact angle of 155.4°), and excellent anti-icing properties. Microwave heating results show that the CSC achieves a maximum heating rate of 1.108 ℃/s and an energy utilization efficiency of 47 %, representing improvements of 118.1 % and 18.3 % compared to uncoated specimens. Durability tests indicate that after wear, the CSC's contact angle decreases by 6.2 %, and the microwave heating rate drops by 13.7 %. Despite these reductions, the coating still maintains high hydrophobicity and microwave heating performance. While the friction coefficient of CSC-coated pavement decreases to μ=0.63, it still meets regulatory requirements. Overall, the application of CSC can effectively increase de-icing efficiency and mitigate the adverse effects of ice and snow on pavements.

Multifunctional superhydrophobic composite film with icing monitoring and anti-icing/deicing performance

Icing can cause damage to outdoor equipment such as airplanes, wind turbine blades and power lines, which poses potential safety hazards. Recently, electrothermal superhydrophobic composite film with the synergistic effect of anti-icing and deicing properties can effectively hinder the formation and accumulation of ice. However, these superhydrophobic composite films have no icing condition monitoring property, which is critical to improve deicing efficiency and reduce energy consumption. In this paper, we have designed a multifunctional superhydrophobic composite film using the combination of laser ablation and spraying method, which exhibits excellent comprehensive anti-icing, deicing and icing monitoring properties. The experimental results demonstrated the icing delay time of the film reached 4.0 min at −20 °C. Meanwhile, taking advantage of the outstanding electrothermal effects of the laser induced graphene/carbon nanotubes (LIG/CNTs) composite conductive network, with DC voltage (5 V) excitation, the film temperature rapidly rose from −20 °C to 107 °C in 90 s, thereby effectively removing the ice. More importantly, due to the temperature sensing performance of the LIG/CNTs composite conductive network, it could monitor whole icing and deicing process of droplet with different volumes and temperatures in real time through the change of film resistance. Therefore, the comprehensive anti-icing, deicing and ice monitoring properties allowed it to effectively reduce icing hazards.

Fabrication of a water repellent comb-like WPU with excellent and sustainable anti-icing performance

Surface functional materials have aroused extensive attention due to tremendous application foreground in the anti-icing technology. However, durability and longevity are still critical problems that restrict their practical applications. In this work, a sustainable water-repellent surface was facilely constructed through comb-like WPU of crystalline octadecyl pendant groups. Because of octadecyl crystals tilting on the surface, the comb-like WPU exhibit dynamic water-repellent properties, which are mainly related to laying-down phase of crystals. Meanwhile, the surface wetting behavior is reversible switching between the sliding state and the pinning state due to phase transition, and the surface self-replenishing occurs in this process. Besides, on the basis of excellent adhesion to several substrates, these comb-like WPU make the crystallization temperature of water decreased by 9 °C approximately, and the ice adhesion strength (τice) before and after 150 abrasion cycles maintain only 3 kPa at −20 °C, exhibiting remarkable and regenerable anti-icing and deicing properties. Importantly, the transformation from laying-down phase to standing-up phase of crystals generates the successive deicing effect of interfacial slippage and micro-cracks, resulting in low τice below 20 kPa after continuous 100 icing/deicing cycles. These findings provide a facile way to design a promising surface material for enhancing endurance of anti-icing coatings.

All-day superhydrophobic photo-thermal and electro-thermal icephobic surfaces based on ZrN/MoSe2 composite

Ice formation on equipment and infrastructure surfaces can lead to severe damage and operational disruptions, necessitating advancements in passive anti-icing technologies to enhance de-icing efficiency. Superhydrophobic materials offer notable improvements, such as minimal water affinity and reduced ice adhesion. However, their practical application is hindered by limited durability and vulnerability to cold and humid conditions. This study presents the development of a micro-nanostructured ZrN/MoSe2 photo-electrothermal superhydrophobic composite coating, which exhibits physical and chemical self-cleaning capabilities both day and night. This innovative coating rapidly heats due to the combined effects of solar absorption and Joule heating. It reaches 89.4 °C in 600 s under simulated sunlight and 81 °C with a 15 V electrical input in 300 s. With a contact angle exceeding 155°, it demonstrates superior self-cleaning abilities. Moreover, the coating retains its exceptional anti-icing and de-icing properties even after exposure to mechanical stress, abrasion, and harsh chemical environments. It can rapidly melt ice from surfaces in just 66 s at −20 °C under one sun, achieving a 76 % efficiency in photo-thermal de-icing. Electro-thermal de-icing tests reveal that the coating can melt ice in 55 s with an 87 % efficiency. These promising features, attributed to the unique properties of ZrN nanoparticles and MoSe2 nanosheets, significantly provide substantial advancements in superhydrophobic coating technologies. They offer the potential for large-scale production and enhanced performance in ice management.

A self-adaption robust superhydrophobic cement mortar for resistance of cold environment

Superhydrophobic coatings have wide range of engineering applications due to its excellent wettability. However, the durability of superhydrophobic coatings is still challenging under complex environments, especially in cold regions. In this study, we prepared a new self-adaption superhydrophobic cement mortar (SSCM) by wettability modified aggregates with polydimethylsiloxane adhesive and silica nanoparticles decorated by 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane. Subsequently, a series of multi-scale characteristics of the SSCM sample were systematically investigated, including the micro morphology, the chemical compositions, the self-adaption robustness, the anti−/de-icing properties, and the freeze-thaw (F-T) resistance. The results indicate that surface and inside of the SSCM samples exhibit a self-adaption superhydrophobicity with the 150.0° contact angle due to the low surface energy micro/nano structure of wettability modified aggregates. Meanwhile, the SSCM sample shows excellent anti−/de-icing abilities due to the stable rough micro/nano structure under negative-temperature ambient, which can delay the droplet freezing time by 4.3 times than that of the contrast sample. Additionally, the newly exposed section of SSCM sample can still have the self-adaption superhydrophobicity and endow significant F-T resistance even if the surface of SSCM was damaged. Meanwhile, the SSCM sample can improve the F-T resistance by 45 % compared to the contrast sample. This work provides a new strategy to solve the durability limitation of superhydrophobic coating in engineering practice.

Agricultural light-converting anti-icing superhydrophobic coating for plant growth promotion

Agricultural coatings play a crucial role in addressing the global food crisis by significantly improving the plant growth environment, accelerating plant development, and enhancing the biological quality of plants. Nevertheless, there exist constraints in the form of limited sunlight utilization, decreased light transmission caused by surface icing leading to diminished plant photosynthesis, and high cost. In this study, a cost-effective and readily scalable superhydrophobic photothermal light-conversion coating is suggested as a means to improve the light conditions necessary for optimal plant growth. By employing in situ growth of carbon dots (CDs) on the surface and interlayers of montmorillonite (MMT) and hydrolytic polymerization of fluorinated alkyl silane (FAS) on the surface of MMT, light-converting superhydrophobic materials (CDs/MMT) with a micro-nano structure were synthesized. These materials demonstrated broad-spectrum fluorescence emission suitable for utilization by plant photosynthesis. They were dispersed into an epoxy resin (ER) matrix to obtain an agricultural superhydrophobic coating (ER-CDs/MMT). The “light absorption-capture-conversion” effect confers exceptional passive anti-icing and active de-icing properties upon the coating. Furthermore, outdoor planting experiments have demonstrated its capacity to substantially enhance the light environment and enhance the biological quality of soybean and morning glory by leveraging light scattering and conversion characteristics. This underscores its considerable potential for application in the next generation of facility agriculture.

Double-shell microstructures based on thermochromic materials and biomass flame retardants towards solving the fire and icing hazards

Due to the extreme dynamic weather, important industrial facilities and infrastructure providing vital support for people’s lives usually face the hazards of fire and icing, especially in the weather of thunderstorm and ice. Therefore, to further establish a safe community, we develop a dual-functional polyurea (PUA) coating used as protective materials by introducing flame retardancy and solar de-icing performance. Based on the microencapsulation and electrostatic self-assembly technologies, flame-retardant and thermochromic microcapsules (TCM) are firstly prepared and then added into PUA resin, by using melamine resin and bio-based phytic acid/chitosan (PA/CS) hybrids as double-shell materials. The high phosphorus content of PA and the carbon-forming effect of CS together play a synergistic flame retardant effect, not only improving the thermal stability of microcapsules but also enhancing the flame retardant property of PUA coating. In the cone calorimetry test, the ignition time of TCM@PA/CS@PUA-3 is longer, and the pHRR is reduced by 19.93 %, which shows the improvement of flame retardant performance. Due to the thermochromic mechanism, TCM@PA/CS@PUA composite coatings are able to adjust the photo-thermal conversion ability according to different environment temperature, achieving less temperature in hot environment and higher temperature in cold environment. The excellent photo-thermal conversion ability also promotes the ice melting and slide in 525 s. This polyurea composite coating with both flame retardant and de-icing properties shows great potential for maintaining the normal operation and safety of outdoor industrials and infrastructure in extremely dynamic weather conditions.

Fabrication of high-durability superhydrophobic coatings based on dual-sized SiC particles

In recent years, inspired by “biomimicry”, superhydrophobic surfaces have gained significant attention. Superhydrophobic surfaces demonstrate notable advantages in addressing interfacial issues, and superhydrophobic coatings exhibit excellent waterproofness, anti-fouling, self-cleaning, anti-corrosion, and additional capabilities, making them promising next-generation waterproof materials. However, the complex preparation process, coupled with poor wear resistance and environmental durability, severely limits their practical applications. Therefore, this article started from simplifying the preparation process and improving the durability of the coatings. Epoxy resin (E51) was used as the film-forming material, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and dual-sized SiC particles (nano-SiC and micro-SiC) were used as the fillers. Room temperature vulcanized silicone rubber (RTV) was used as a binder interacting with epoxy resin to promote the interface interaction between the fillers and the polymers. This process resulted in the successful preparation of superhydrophobic coatings with outstanding comprehensive performance. When the ratio of μ-SiC to n-SiC was 1:1, the prepared coating exhibited the best superhydrophobic properties with a water contact angle (WCA) of 167.4° and a sliding angle (SA) of 4.6°. Even after undergoing severe mechanical tests, such as sandpaper abrasion for 1000 cycles, sand impact for 100 cycles, cross-cut test, and tape-peeling for 70 cycles, the coatings still maintained their non-wetting Cassie-Baxter state. Furthermore, even after immersion in strong acid, strong alkali and 3.5 wt% NaCl solutions for 6 days, keeping at 500 ℃ for 2 hours, and exposure to ultraviolet for 6 days, the coatings still exhibited excellent superhydrophobicity. This suggested that the prepared coating had excellent chemical stability and high-temperature resistance. In addition, the superhydrophobic coating exhibited exceptional capabilities in self-cleaning, anti-corrosion, anti-icing, and de-icing properties. Furthermore, this coating, applicable to diverse substrates including board, steel, paper, and glass, demonstrated an impressive water contact angle (WCA) and sliding angle (SA). The spraying method offers the benefits of simplicity and cost-effectiveness. This is poised to significantly broaden its practical applications in various fields, including construction, transportation, and the chemical industry.

Photothermally promoted recovery of a superhydrophobic surface with anti-icing and de-icing properties for outdoor applications

Ice accumulation is a persistent problem in high-altitude or low-temperature environments, resulting in the abnormal operation of equipment and even fatal accidents. As such, various strategies for removing (de-icing) and preventing (anti-icing) ice from outdoor equipment have been proposed. In this study, a simple photothermal superhydrophobic coating system was developed by combining hydrophilic/hydrophobic silica agglomerates, a polydimethylsiloxane matrix, and organic photothermal dyes (diaminonaphthyl fluorine, DANF) to prevent the loss of superhydrophobicity during ice accumulation. The coating prepared by the spray-coating method exhibited excellent superhydrophobicity with a uniform water contact angle of ∼165° and sliding angle of ∼3.5° over a large area. Sunlight-responsive DANF dye with excellent dispersion stability in common coating resins and higher photothermal conversion efficiency than inorganic photothermal dyes, can increase the surface temperature to ∼30 °C even in an extreme freezing environment (−20 °C) under a near-infrared laser irradiation (808 nm, ∼1 sun). Therefore, under solar irradiation, ice freezing on a superhydrophobic surface can be delayed (anti-icing). Even after ice formation, the initial superhydrophobicity can be recovered through the thermal evaporation of water molecules trapped within the micropillars (de-icing). The proposed photothermal superhydrophobic coatings exhibited uniform photoinduced heating over a large area under sunlight, self-cleaning performance, and adaptability to various substrates, indicating their expected applicability to various types of outdoor equipment for preventing abnormal performance due to ice accumulation.

Graphene-enhanced, wear-resistant, and thermal-conductive, anti-/de-icing gelcoat composite coating

Wind power is considered as a sustainable and environmentally friendly energy source. However, the occurrence of icing poses significant challenges to energy production, particularly in frigid regions during the winter season. Conventional strategies employed for preventing and removing ice formation have proven inadequate due to their inability to satisfy intricate requirements or their high energy consumption. In this study, a commercial gelcoat coating was adopted as an anti-/de-icing coating by introducing different concentrations of graphene and boron nitride into the gelcoat coating through physical mixing. Extensive investigations were conducted on the correlation between anti-/de-icing, wear resistance, and thermal conductivity. Notably, the incorporation of nanoparticles induced a rise in the surface roughness, resulting in prolonged resistance to water icing on the coated surface. The wear resistance and thermal conductivity of the composite coating were enhanced through the inclusion of boron nitride and graphene. The building of thermal conductive particle networks improved thermal conductivity which can lead to improved heat transfer and heat distribution. At the same time, the enhanced gelcoat composite coating exhibited exceptional passive anti-/de-icing performance and wear resistance. This coating can replace commercial coatings to improve anti-/de-icing efficiency for the existing active heating anti-/de-icing techniques available in the market.Graphical The graphene was employed to enhance the thermal conductivity, wear resistance, and anti-/de-icing properties of the turbine coating.

All-weather anti-icing and de-icing properties of the carbon-based electro@photo-thermal material with adaptive temperature control performance

Photo-thermal anti/de-icing and electro-thermal anti/de-icing have been widely used in the field of anti/de-icing in recent years. The combination of electro@photo-thermal can achieve all-weather anti/de-icing. However, there is no need for anti/de-icing in hot environments, but the photo-thermal conversion does not automatically stop. And the photo-thermal conversion will cause the surface to overheat, seriously affecting the safety and normal operation of the machine, which is a great challenge in practical applications. Based on this, an electro@photo-thermal material with adaptive temperature control performance was proposed in this work. Specifically, the carbon cloth was used as an electro-thermal substrate, and the thermochromic powder mixed with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was used as a photo-thermal component. The photo-thermal conversion experiment shows that when the temperature reaches the threshold temperature, the color of the material can be changed from black to white to reduce the absorption of sunlight, thus avoiding the overheating phenomenon. The anti/de-icing experiment also shows that the material meets the all-weather anti/de-icing requirements. In addition, continuous tape stripping experiments and acid-base soaking experiments also verified the excellent hydrophobicity of the material. The research provides new ideas for all-weather anti/de-icing systems with adaptive temperature control performance.

Anti-icing system based on multi-level micro-nano and electric heating dual structure

The potential application value of superhydrophobic surfaces with anti-icing and de-icing properties in aerospace, telecommunications cables, energy and other fields has always been an important research topic. In this paper, a kind of superhydrophobic surface with stable structure, sufficient heat, excellent heat transfer performance and mass production was prepared based on elastic material. In this study, the multi-stage micro-nano rough structure is synthesized by ingenious pressing and mold closing control, and the surface contact angle of the prepared sample can reach 159°. The multi-stage micro-nano rough structure on the surface of the experimental sample can make the water droplets form a large number of cavitation, which can delay the icing of static water droplets. The height difference on both sides of (Un)pressed mesh surface makes the water droplets freeze asymmetrically, so (Un)pressed mesh surface has excellent anti-icing ability. The experimental sample is connected with 24 V direct current, and the average resistivity is 1.403 Ω·cm. The temperature can be raised to about 60 °C in one minute. The prepared sample has stable temperature, good electrical conductivity, sufficient heat generation, excellent heat transfer performance and high anti-icing efficiency. This study expands the design idea of anti-icing of aircraft rotor.

Microwave deicing properties and carbon emissions assessment of asphalt mixtures containing steel slag towards resource conservation and waste reuse

A large amount of solid waste, such as steel slag (SS), is generated annually. At the same time, the shortage of road construction materials is becoming a concern. In this study, to recycle and reuse SS as a substitute for natural aggregates to achieve resource conservation and sustainable development of roads were conducted. First, the electromagnetic performance of SS was explored to evaluate its wave-absorbing properties. Next, the effect of different SS contents on heating properties, surface temperature, heating uniformity, and ice melting time (IMT) were investigated. Finally, the carbon emissions assessment (CEA) of conventional asphalt mixture (CAM) and steel slag asphalt mixture (SSAM) was compared. Results indicated that SS has ferromagnetic behavior and higher electromagnetic parameters, showing better wave-absorbing properties than limestone. There were three stages during microwave heating (MH): ice melting, moisture emitting, and stabilization. In addition, heating uniformity tends to be poor with the increase of SS, and samples with 100 % content of SS have the highest standard deviation of 21.04 °C and 20.77 °C after 270 s at −10 °C and − 20 °C. Samples containing 50 % SS have the best microwave deicing properties, which can reduce the IMT by 28.57 % to 46.18 % at different initial freezing temperatures and ice thickness compared to CAM. Furthermore, CEA revealed that CAM and SSAM's carbon emissions over road construction's life cycle are similar (around 27,000 kg) and originate mainly from the mixing and raw material extraction phases. However, SSAM leads to better environmental and economic benefits and provides an exemplary resource conservation and waste reuse solution.

The preparation of CNTs/GP/TiN/PDMS/PVDF superhydrophobic coating with strong photothermal and electrothermal properties for anti-icing and de-icing

A superhydrophobic coating (PESC) with prominent photothermal and electrothermal properties was obtained by using multi-wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphite powder (GP) and titanium nitride (TiN) nanoparticles as fillers and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as binders. The water contact angle (WCA), water sliding angle (WSA) and the square resistance of the coating is about 154.3 ± 0.5°, 4 ± 0.5° and 25.9 ± 0.5 Ω/□, respectively. The coating can keep an excellent superhydrophobic, conductive, photothermal and electrothermal stability in an environment with huge alternating temperature differences. The measurement results show that the saturation temperature of the PESC become higher and the time required for saturation temperature is also getting shorter by the co-heating of the weak solar radiation and low power density electric heating. Compared to the icing time of the water droplet on the bare glass surface, the icing time of the water droplet on the PESC surface was nearly 14 times longer. The ice-melting ability of the PESC can become stronger with the photo-electric co-heating. Especially, for the co-action of the weak solar radiation and low electrothermal power density, the temperature rise performance, anti-icing and de-icing properties of the PESC is still very good. This makes the PESC have good potential applications in the weak solar radiation and low temperature environment.

Superhydrophobic F-SiO2/tea polyphenol coating with high efficiency photothermal anti-icing and de-icing properties

Ice accumulation is an important challenge for daily life and industrial production. The photothermal effect offers a promising approach for active de-icing to address this issue. While the photothermal effect of polyphenol-metal ion complex is extensively studied in photothermal cancer therapy, its application in de-icing remains relatively unexplored. Herein, a durable photothermal superhydrophobic coating was designed by combining F-SiO2 @Tp/Fe (Tea polyphenol-Fe3+) nanoparticles and silicone resin using a one-step spray method. Due to the unique micro-nano structure, the resulting coating exhibited excellent superhydrophobicity, characterized by water contact angle (CA) of up to 159° and sliding angle (SA) of less than 2.5°. Additionally, the coating demonstrated reliable mechanical durability and chemical stability, as evidenced by its good performance in sandpaper abrasion, tape peeling and electrochemical corrosion tests. Moreover, owing to the efficient photothermal conversion of F-SiO2 @Tp/Fe nanoparticles, surface temperature of the coating can quickly reach 81 ℃ under 1 kW/m2 simulated sunlight irradiation (1 Sun). The prepared coating exhibits over three times delayed icing time under 1 sun irradiation at − 25 °C in comparison to the absence of light. And the coating also exhibits stable de-icing and defrosting cycle performance. These findings demonstrate effective synergistic effect of anti-icing and de-icing in the F-SiO2 @Tp/Fe photothermal superhydrophobic coating, showcasing its promising application potential in practical engineering.

Photothermal superhydrophobic surface with good corrosion resistance, anti-/de-icing property and mechanical robustness fabricated via multiple-pulse laser ablation

Corrosion and ice accumulation occurring on carbon steel bring about huge economy lost, resource waste, and even hazard event. Fabricating black superhydrophobic surfaces is an effective method for improving the anti-corrosion and anti-/de-icing properties of metallic materials. However, it is still a challengeable task to fabricate a robust black superhydrophobic surface on carbon steel through an eco-friendly method. Herein, a black superhydrophobic surface was obtained on 45 steel substrate via a simple and fluorine-free method, i.e., multiple-pulse laser ablation followed by chemical modification with hexadecyltrimethoxysilane (HDTMS). The obtained surface exhibits a water contact angle of 156° and possesses a low reflectance (<9%) in the wavelength range of 400 ∼ 2500 nm. The surface displays an excellent photothermal property with a temperature rise of 52 °C under 1 sun of illumination within 8 min. Electrochemistry data reveals that the surface has good corrosion resistance with 64.78-times lower corrosion current density and 73.81-times higher charge transfer resistance than the steel substrate. Anti-icing test shows that the surface possesses 2547 s longer freezing delay time and at least ∼ 3 times lower de-icing force than the steel substrate, and photothermal de-icing test demonstrates that the ice on the surfaces starts thawing within 60 s under 0.5 sun of illumination, indicating that the surface has excellent anti-/de-icing property. Moreover, after impacting by 2000 g of sands or 400 times of tape peeling tests, the surface still maintains superhydrophobicity, indicating the good mechanical robustness of the surface.

Micro/nano manufacturing aircraft surface with anti-icing and deicing performances: An overview

Abstract The aircraft surface is prone to icing when flying under windward conditions. It is required to protect the aircraft surface from icing for flight safety. The anti-/deicing performance of aircraft surface is affected by the surface morphology and surface wettability. The hydrophobicity of aircraft surface with anti-/deicing performance is closely related to the surface energy. To satisfy the requirements of anti-/deicing surface processing, the micro/nano manufacturing technologies have been developed to fabricate anti-/deicing functional aircraft surfaces. The icing time and deicing efficiency for aircraft surfaces fabricated with micro/nano manufacturing technologies are dozens of times more than those manufactured by conventional anti-/deicing methods. In this study, the recent technologies of micro/nano manufacturing of anti-/deicing functional surfaces are reviewed. First, the extreme conditions during aircraft flight and the huge potential safety hazards of icing are introduced. Then, the principle of aircraft icing and mechanism of both anti-icing and deicing are summarized. Then, the current micro/nano manufacturing technologies for preparing anti-icing and deicing surfaces, including electrochemical, chemical, laser and wire-cut etching chemical, electrochemical, vapor and plasma deposition, and other processing methods are described. By summarizing the advantages and disadvantages of different preparation methods, guidance is provided for new methods of preparing anti-icing and deicing surfaces, in order to avoid disadvantages and promote advantages. Fabrication and characterization of nanocomposite materials and composite coatings/thin films with anti-icing and deicing properties are discussed. Finally, the development trend and application prospect of micro/nano manufacturing in the field of anti-icing and deicing are presented.

A method for preparing and investigating anti-/de-icing surface by integration of laser-induced graphene (LIG) with a silica sol adhesive (SMP@M-SiO2)

The ice accumulation has a significant negative impact on device/system functions, and the emergence of anti−/de-icing coatings has greatly improved this problem. However, the ideal ice-free state cannot be achieved by hydrophobic properties alone. In this study, we developed a method for developing a composite electro/photo-thermal (active) and superhydrophobic (passive) anti-/de-icing coating by laser-induced graphene (LIG) and post-modification with silica sol adhesive on selected underlying substrates. The composite coating consisted of the bottom layer of LIG, which played a role in constructing a porous skeleton structure and photothermal-electrothermal conversion; and a top layer of silica sol adhesive (SMP@M-SiO2) was used for bond strength enhancement and hydrophobic modification of the LIG. At −10 °C, the freezing time of water droplets on the SMP@M-SiO2@LIG surface was delayed about 14 times, and the ice adhesion strength decreased by 69.8 % when compared with the glass substrate surface. In addition, under one solar irradiation, the SMP@M-SiO2–5@LIG surface temperature rose to 56.5 °C in 900 s, which led to 21.5 times increase in delaying icing time when compared to the bare substrate. At a low DC voltage of 15 V, the temperature of the coating reached 177.1 °C in 60 s. At −20 °C, the developed surface showed no signs of freezing and achieved rapid de-icing and de-frosting in 6 s. The wide applicability of the SMP@M-SiO2–5@LIG surface was demonstrated on glass, plastics, metals, and ceramic substrates.The developed surface combining superhydrophobic passive anti-icing and electro/photo-thermal active de-icing properties is expected to be further applied in various prospective applications.

Preparation, performance evaluation and de-icing longevity prediction of novel de-icing fiber permeable asphalt mixture

The complex and changeable service conditions require pavements with greater functional diversity and environmental adaptability. In this paper, the de-icing fiber permeable asphalt mixture (DFPM) that satisfied the multiple service requirements of rapid drainage and ice melting in various seasons was proposed. Various performance characterization tests were utilized to evaluate the permeability and de-icing properties and the pavement performance of the mixtures with different contents of de-icing agents and fibers. Meanwhile, the high temperature dynamic water scouring experiment was designed to predict the effective de-icing life. The results show that adding de-icing agents and fibers slightly affects the water permeability of the mixtures. The incorporation of de-icing agents is beneficial to the high temperature performance yet detrimental to the low temperature behavior and water stability, while the incorporation of fibers compensates for the negative effect; the de-icing performance of the mixture correlates positively with the amounts of de-icing agents and correlates negligibly with the fiber incorporation. DFPM with 0.3% fibers and 5% de-icing agent shows superiority in performance and cost and is recommended for practical applications. Therefore, building a composite functional asphalt pavement with excellent performance appears feasible while creating a pavement micro-ecology by applying de-icing fibers permeable asphalt mixtures.