Magnetically responsive superhydrophobic surface: Reversible switching for water repellency and active/passive...

This research aims to address the negative impact of global climate change on equipment stability, with a particular focus on the occurrence of icing on working surfaces at low temperature. To this end, we have developed a novel magnetically responsive superhydrophobic surface to enhance anti-icing properties and adapt to environmental changes. We prepared magnetically responsive micro-cilia arrays (MRMAs) with good flexibility and magnetostriction through a facile spray gun coating technique. By adjusting the application mode and distance of the magnetic field, three different morphologies can be achieved: vertical, curved and crossed, thus optimizing water repellency, active anti-icing and passive anti-icing performance. Experimental data show that vertical MRMAs exhibit extremely high contact angles and low droplet adhesion, which facilitates rapid water droplet removal, while curved MRMAs exhibit the lowest ice adhesion strength, which effectively reduces the likelihood of ice formation. In addition, the crossed MRMAs excelled in delaying icing, significantly prolonging the time before water droplets begin to freeze. This research not only provides a novel anti-icing strategy, but also offers new ideas for designing multifunctional surfaces that can adapt to complex environmental conditions.