Low ice adhesion on soft surfaces: Elasticity or lubrication effects?

Soft materials are promising candidates for designing passive de-icing systems. It is unclear whether low adhesion on soft surfaces is due to elasticity or lubrication, and how these properties affect the ice detachment mechanism. This study presents a systematic analysis of ice adhesion on soft materials with different lubricant content to better understand the underpinning interaction.

The wetting and mechanical properties of soft polydimethylsiloxane with different lubricant content were thoroughly characterized by contact angle, AFM indentation, and rheology measurements. The collected information was used to understand the relationship with the ice adhesion results, obtained by using different ice block sizes.

Three different de-icing mechanisms were identified: (i) single detachment occurs when small ice blocks are considered, and the ice completely detaches in a single event. In the case of larger ice blocks, the reattachment of the ice block is promoted by either: (ii) stick-slip or, (iii) interfacial slippage, depending on the lubricant content. It was confirmed that the ice adhesion strength not only depends on material properties but also on experimental conditions, such as the ice dimensions. Moreover, differently than on hard surfaces, where wetting primarily determines the icephobic performance, also elasticity and lubrication should be considered on soft surfaces.