A Self-Replenishing Lubricant Slippery Coating with Low Interfacial Toughness for Enhancing Large-Scale Deicing...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Surface Engineering
• Tribology

Background:

• Ice accumulation on surfaces poses significant challenges in industrial operations.
• Existing low-ice-adhesion surfaces have limitations in durability and deicing efficiency.
• Effective deicing solutions are crucial for various applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a self-replenishing slippery lubricant (SRLS) coating for enhanced large-scale deicing.
• To overcome limitations of current low-ice-adhesion surfaces.
• To improve deicing efficiency and durability in complex environments.

Main Methods:

• Development of an SRLS coating based on a polyorganosilazane (PSZ) matrix.
• Infusion of silicone oil-loaded hollow mesoporous SiO2 microspheres (SO@HMSs) into the PSZ matrix.
• Optimization of SO@HMSs content and evaluation of coating performance.

Main Results:

• The optimized SRLS-20 coating achieved very low interfacial toughness (0.028 J m-2) and ice adhesion strength (8.51 ± 1.89 kPa).
• Deicing mechanism shifted from strength-controlled to toughness-controlled fracture.
• SRLS-20 demonstrated sustained deicing force (15.43 ± 1.51 N cm-1) for large ice layers.

Conclusions:

• The SRLS coating offers a durable, large-scale ice-phobic surface solution.
• Reduced interfacial toughness and low ice adhesion strength enhance deicing efficiency.
• This technology provides a robust method for mitigating ice accumulation in industrial settings.