A Fluorine-Free Superhydrophobic Micro–Nano Structured SiO<sub>2</sub>/TiN Coating for Anti-icing and Photothermal Deicing
Tingting Yang, Qingqing Lu, Fangyuan Ren, Shengkang Xin, Hailong Zhang, Hong Qiao, Zuankai Wang, Libin Liu
Abstract
The icing phenomenon in nature can cause serious economic losses and security concerns. Eco-friendly anti-icing and deicing surfaces have been developed to address these issues. In this study, a photothermal superhydrophobic coating was fabricated by a facile polymerization process in the presence of micro–nano structured SiO 2 /TiN particles followed by a two-step spraying technology. The optimal coating displays remarkable superhydrophobic performance with a water contact angle of 159.1° and a water roll-off angle as low as 1.2°; it survives tape peeling, Taber abrasion, and solution immersion and demonstrates weather and corrosion resistance. More importantly, the SiO 2 /TiN coating shows excellent anti-icing/deicing property and can withstand multiple icing/thawing cycles. The excellent anti-icing/deicing performance is attributed to the robust superhydrophobic surface and the photothermal effect of TiN nanoparticles. Our fluorine-free design strategy provides important guidance for actual large-scale eco-friendly anti-icing/deicing application.