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Updated: Jun 4, 2026
11:20
Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Metal Surfaces for Anti-Icing Applications
Published on: August 15, 2018
Are superhydrophobic surfaces best for icephobicity?
Stefan Jung1, Marko Dorrestijn, Dominik Raps
1Laboratory of Thermodynamics in Emerging Technologies, Mechanical and Process Engineering Department, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|February 16, 2011
Summary
Surface wettability and nanometer-scale roughness significantly delay ice formation in supercooled water droplets. This challenges the focus on superhydrophobic surfaces for anti-icing applications, suggesting a balance is needed for optimal icephobicity.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Physical Chemistry
- Surface Science
Background:
- Ice formation poses significant risks to aviation and ground transportation.
- Current anti-icing strategies often focus on superhydrophobic surfaces.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of surface properties on water freezing delays.
- To evaluate icephobicity based on freezing delays.
- To challenge the prevailing focus on superhydrophobic surfaces for ice retardation.
Main Methods:
- Inkjet deposition of supercooled water microdroplets onto various surfaces (hydrophilic to superhydrophobic).
- Observation of droplet coalescence and spontaneous freezing.
- Analysis of liquid-on-liquid bounce at atmospheric pressure and subfreezing temperatures.
Main Results:
- Surfaces with nanometer-scale roughness and higher wettability exhibited significantly longer freezing delays than typical superhydrophobic surfaces.
- A two-phase crystallization process (rapid recalescence followed by slower solidification) was observed.
- A novel regime of liquid-on-liquid bounce was identified.
Conclusions:
- Ice formation retardation is not solely dependent on superhydrophobicity.
- Optimizing both wettability and roughness is crucial for effective anti-icing surface design.
- Modified heterogeneous nucleation theory can predict observed freezing delay trends.
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