Spectrally Engineered Hierarchical Nanocomposite Enabling Full-Spectrum Solar-Thermal Conversion and Dynamic...

Photo-thermal de-icing offers energy-efficient, safe, and eco-friendly solutions to combat ice accumulation-a critical hazard for aviation, energy, and infrastructure. However, state-of-the-art photothermal materials (e.g., graphene, carbon nanotubes) rely predominantly on infrared absorption (molecular thermal vibrations), limiting thermal equilibrium temperatures under solar irradiation and hindering deployment. To overcome this fundamental spectral gap, we engineer copper nanorods functionalized via in situ growth of poly(hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene-co-4,4'-sulfonyldiphenol). This strategy simultaneously enhances nanorod-polymer substrate compatibility and exploits the photoluminescence of poly(hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene-co-4,4'-sulfonyldiphenol) to convert ultraviolet light into wavelength-resonant visible light, significantly boosting photothermal conversion via the localized surface plasmon resonance effect. Critically, integrating this system with polyaniline (a strong near-infrared light absorber) and polyimide (a strong far-infrared light absorber) yields, for the first time, a nanocomposite capable of full-spectrum solar photothermal conversion. Under 1-sun illumination (1 kW·m^-2), it achieves a record-high thermal equilibrium temperature difference of 65.1°C. When mounted on rotating three-blade propellers, the nanocomposite enables rapid solar-thermal de-icing within 6 min. Remarkably, it also maintains effective anti-icing performance under severe conditions simulating supercooled large droplets spray (-20°C, 62.57 µm droplet size), showcasing its potential for demanding real-world environments. This spectrally engineered design establishes a blueprint for energy-efficient dynamic de-icing, offering scalable solutions for aerospace, wind energy, and polar infrastructure protection.