Temperature-driven sustainable anti-scaling on phase-change lubricant-infused surface

The use of lubricant-infused surfaces (LIS) presents a highly promising approach to mitigating contamination from various sources, including bacteria, ice, and scale. However, these lubricants’ natural liquid characteristics frequently cause them to run out in adverse environments, which results in a failure to prevent fouling. Here, we report the sustainable anti-scaling performance of a phase-change lubricant-infused surface (PCLIS). The increased resistance is ascribed to a high degree of stability in the solid state at temperatures below PCL’s melting point (T < T_m). Furthermore, the anti-scaling capability comes from its smooth morphology and reduced scale adhesion in liquid state (T > T_m). As a result, this work offers a viable method to deal with scaling problems in real-world applications, especially those that involve temperature changes.