Designing durable icephobic surfaces

Kevin Golovin; Sai P R Kobaku; Duck Hyun Lee; Edward T DiLoreto; Joseph M Mabry; Anish Tuteja

doi:10.1126/sciadv.1501496

Designing durable icephobic surfaces

Sci Adv. 2016 Mar 11;2(3):e1501496. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1501496. eCollection 2016 Mar.

Authors

Kevin Golovin¹, Sai P R Kobaku², Duck Hyun Lee¹, Edward T DiLoreto¹, Joseph M Mabry³, Anish Tuteja⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.; Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
² Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.; Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
³ Rocket Propulsion Division, Air Force Research Laboratory, Edwards Air Force Base, CA 93524, USA.
⁴ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.; Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.; Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.; Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.

Abstract

Ice accretion has a negative impact on critical infrastructure, as well as a range of commercial and residential activities. Icephobic surfaces are defined by an ice adhesion strength τice < 100 kPa. However, the passive removal of ice requires much lower values of τice, such as on airplane wings or power lines (τice < 20 kPa). Such low τice values are scarcely reported, and robust coatings that maintain these low values have not been reported previously. We show that, irrespective of material chemistry, by tailoring the cross-link density of different elastomeric coatings and by enabling interfacial slippage, it is possible to systematically design coatings with extremely low ice adhesion (τice < 0.2 kPa). These newfound mechanisms allow for the rational design of icephobic coatings with virtually any desired ice adhesion strength. By using these mechanisms, we fabricate extremely durable coatings that maintain τice < 10 kPa after severe mechanical abrasion, acid/base exposure, 100 icing/deicing cycles, thermal cycling, accelerated corrosion, and exposure to Michigan wintery conditions over several months.

Keywords: Icephobicity; durability; surface wettability.

Publication types

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Equipment Design*
Ice*
Microscopy, Atomic Force
Surface Properties

Substances

Ice