Previous studies have found that superhydrophobic surfaces are effective in delaying freezing of water droplets. However, the freezing process of water droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces depends on factors such as droplet size, surface area, roughness, and cooling rate. The role of surface energy, independent of any other parameters, in delaying freezing of water is not understood. Here, we have used infrared-visible sum frequency generation spectroscopy (SFG) to study the freezing of water next to solid substrates with water contact angles varying from 5° to 110°. We find that the freezing temperature of water decreases with increasing surface hydrophobicity only when the sample volume is small (∼10 μL). For a larger volume of water (∼300 μL), the freezing temperature is independent of surface energy. For water next to the surfaces with contact angle ≥54°, we observe a strong SFG peak associated with highly coordinated water. This research sheds new light on understanding the key factors in designing new anti-icing coatings.
Keywords: freezing; hydrophobicity; ice; surface energy; surface modification; water.