Ultrafast Flame‐Ablation–Enabled Fabrication of Repairable Superhydrophobic Anti‐Icing Surfaces
Qi Guo, Yangyang Jia, Liang Yin, Fapeng Zhang, Jingrui Liang, Wen‐Di Li, Qiang He
Abstract
Abstract Conventional superhydrophobic anti‐icing coatings for propellers or aircraft leading edges suffer from inadequate durability, protracted fabrication cycles, and high processing costs, which constrain deployment in extreme environments. This work presents a rapid synergistic approach that combines templating with flame induction. A stable micro‐nanostructure is first imparted to silicone rubber via templating, and a brief ≈3 s flame treatment then produces a coating‐free and repairable superhydrophobic surface. The surface shows a static water contact angle of ≈162.3° and a sliding angle of ≈0.56°. At −15 °C, the icing delay reaches 1060 s, ≈7.3 times that of pristine silicone rubber, and obvious frosting is absent until ≈840 s. Even after 2500 mL sand‐flow impingement, 180 min water‐jet impact, 72 h ultraviolet irradiation, 72 h chemical corrosion, >120 cycles of compression/tension/bending, and sandpaper abrasion, the surface still maintains a contact angle >155° and a sliding angle <4°. These results highlight its outstanding mechanical robustness and chemical stability. The method integrates ultrafast fabrication, low cost, straightforward scalability, and repeatable repair, delivering an efficient, long‐lasting, and repairable anti‐icing anti‐frosting surface design for aircraft leading edges and other critical components, with strong potential for practical deployment.