Shear modulus regulated porous functional PDMS coatings with superior anti-icing and lubricating properties

The strong ice adhesion of commercially available polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) hinders its anti-icing and ice-phobic applications. In this study, a porous- vinyl-terminated PDMS (PV-PDMS) coating that is capable of absorbing lubricating liquids has been developed through shear modulus adjustment and salt-templating, achieving comprehensive optimization of the mechanical property, lubricity and anti-icing performance. The sponge-like PV-PDMS can fully recover even after being compressed by 90 %. The modulation of the shear modulus and the introduction of a sponge-like microstructure decrease the τ_ice to 19.6 ± 4.6 kPa. Moreover, the ice formation time of water droplets on PV-PDMS surface reaches 1100 s, which is 6.4 times longer compared to that of the conventional PDMS. Importantly, by swelling and absorbing dimethylsilicone oil and ionic liquids as lubricants, the τ_ice is further reduced to 4.8 ± 1.3 kPa. Simultaneously, the COF on the coating surface is markedly decreased to 0.30, representing a 95.5 % reduction compared to traditional PDMS. Overall, this study demonstrates that tuning the shear modulus as well as the development of liquid infused PV-PDMS coatings can enhance both the anti-icing and lubricating properties.