Electrothermal/Superhydrophobic Anti-Deicing Coating with a Sandwich Structure Based on Micro-Nanomaterials
Ke Li, Qiang Wang, Zhou Xu, Yulong He, Yanan Shi, Mengjie Qin, Binrui Wu, Ningli Chen, Ruidi Liu, Xian Yi
Abstract
The freezing phenomenon poses significant challenges in many fields, causing serious casualties and economic losses. Compared with traditional measures, active/passive coupled anti-deicing technology exhibits greater adaptability and effectiveness in diverse scenarios. Herein, an electrothermal/superhydrophobic coating featuring a sandwich structure was proposed for anti-deicing applications. Benefiting from the hydrophobic modified micro-nanostructure, this superhydrophobic coating boasted remarkable abilities to delay icing and repel water adhesion, rendering it ideal for combating freezing rain. Under a certain electrothermal power density, the coating could be heated quickly and evenly. Furthermore, it has proven to be highly capable of enduring prolonged continuous heating and rigorous high–low-temperature cycling tests, delivering exceptional performance. To evaluate its dynamic anti-icing performance, icing wind tunnel tests were conducted, which demonstrated that the coating can prevent freezing with the coupled electrothermal/superhydrophobic properties, even under harsh icing environments. This work would inspire the design of electrothermal/superhydrophobic anti-deicing coating with a sandwich structure and promote the practical engineering applications.