Superhydrophobic Coatings with Synergistically Enhanced Anti/Deicing Performance by Optically/Electrically Assisted Heating

Abstract

Surface icing issues have a significant impact on industries such as aviation, transportation, and construction. Superhydrophobic surfaces can delay ice formation due to their liquid-repellent properties, but their effectiveness is not pronounced in extremely cold environments. Electric heating coatings can effectively prevent ice formation, but they have limitations in environments with insufficient electrical energy supply. The anti-icing effect of photothermal superhydrophobic coatings is restricted under conditions of insufficient sunlight. To enhance the ice-preventing performance of superhydrophobic coatings in extremely cold environments, this article employs a template spraying method to prepare a carbon black and graphene composite coating that provides superhydrophobic passive anti-icing and photo/electrothermal active deicing capabilities. The micro-nanostructured superhydrophobic surface exhibits exceptional ice-preventing performance. The excellent electrothermal and photothermal performance, along with high energy conversion efficiency, significantly enhance the coating's deicing efficiency. Under the synergistic effect of solar and electrical energy, the ice layer is completely melted within just 135 s. Furthermore, the material possesses excellent durability (resistance to mechanical wear, acid and alkali corrosion, and UV aging), as well as thermal stability. This research provides new avenues and insights for the development of advanced anti-icing and deicing materials for applications in aviation, transportation, construction, and other fields.