Scalable Photothermal Superhydrophobic Deicing Coating with Mechanochemical-Thermal Robustness

Developing scalable and robust deicing coatings is essential for real-world applications, yet current coatings either suffer from intrinsic fragility or low thermal conductivity, limiting sustainability and deicing effectiveness. Here, we report a scalable and durable photothermal superhydrophobic coating coupling with enhanced thermal conductivity, engineered by embedding carbon nanotubes within a perfluoroalkoxy polymer matrix. Our design achieved 97.7% solar absorptance and 280% increased effective thermal conductivity, compared to the pure polymer matrix alone, under an optimized content of the carbon nanotubes. This coating is versatile and scalable, conforming seamlessly to flat and intricate surfaces as well as meter-scale industrial heat exchangers and radiators. Its unparalleled mechano-chemical-thermal resilience was demonstrated through a myriad of experiments. Even under low-light and ultralow-temperature conditions, the deicing performance of the coating remained outstanding as demonstrated on real power cables and residential rooftops. By harnessing clean and sustainable solar energy, the developed coating significantly reduces carbon emissions compared to conventional deicing methods and holds great potential for widespread application across various real-world scenarios.