Robust PPy@PVA hydrogel for efficient ice prevention and all-day ice removal

Abstract

The issue of ice accumulation has been demonstrated to markedly impact daily life and industrial facilities. The formidable challenges associated with ice prevention and removal necessitate the development of innovative and effective anti-icing and de-icing strategies. Herein, we have developed a polypyrrole coated polyvinyl alcohol (denoted as PPy@PVA) hydrogel with a water-dimethyl sulfoxide (water/DMSO) binary solvent infused into its network. The PPy@PVA hydrogel has robust mechanical properties, and stable slippery wettability, and it is also able to self-repair upon water/DMSO liquid overlayer depletion. The strong interaction between water and DMSO molecules results in a reduced freezing temperature of the hydrogel (up to as low as −60 °C), and it can also extend the water droplet freezing time significantly even in environments with high humidity and low temperature. The PPy@PVA hydrogel has been shown to exhibit both photothermal and electrothermal effects, thereby enabling the melting of accumulated ice layers on its surface through solar irradiation or by connecting it to a power source. Notably, when integrated with photothermal and electrothermal effects, the hydrogel exhibited a combination of all-day de-icing efficacy and accelerated ice melting time. This work presents a promising strategy for effective ice prevention and removal, with the potential for application in all-day and cold-weather de-icing.