Dictyophora-Inspired Breathable Photothermal Superhydrophobic Coatings via Microphase Separation for Efficient Anti/Deicing in Low-Temperature, High-Humidity Environments
P. Wang, Jinqiu Tao, Junhao Xie, Chengjun Yue, Hongxia Zhao, Yi Yang, Lei Dong, Shuai Qi, Ming Jin, Hao Wu, Lei Chen, Qianping Ran
Abstract
Photothermal superhydrophobic coatings suffer performance degradation in low-temperature, high-humidity environments due to vapor-condensation-induced mechanical interlocking within micro/nanostructures. Inspired by the interconnected porous network of dictyophora, we engineered a multifunctional biomimetic coating (PSPA) by incorporating polydopamine (PDA) into a low-surface-energy polymer network and precisely regulating microphase separation to construct a dictyophora-mimetic interconnected microporous architecture. This bioinspired design enables efficient vapor transport (29.8% transmission rate of ordinary cement boards), effectively suppressing vapor condensation and ice-substrate mechanical interlocking under harsh conditions while extending the static icing delay time to 674 s. Simultaneously, synergistic photothermal conversion via multiscale PDA and hierarchical micro/nanostructures achieves rapid active deicing within 20 s, with the interconnected network further imparting exceptional mechanical/chemical stability. This work establishes a new paradigm for highly efficient, reliable anti/deicing coatings in aerospace and extreme environments.