Superhydrophobic Solar Thermal Anti-Icing/Deicing: Opportunities and Challenges

Ice accretion on outdoor devices or buildings would cause significant safety risks and economic losses. Superhydrophobic solar thermal (SST) technologies offer an environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative, especially in regions where conventional active systems are impractical. However, various factors significantly impede the commercial viability of these technologies, such as a lack of attention on technological advancements for practical application, the need for collaborative design between superhydrophobic and solar thermal conversion performances, poor weather or long-term resistance for stability, the absence of effective scalable production strategies, and inconsistencies in performance evaluation. Here, we first summarize the development of SST technologies, then discuss current challenges and future directions of SST-aided innovation. Specifically, we discuss the collaborative design fundamentals between interface and photonics engineering, and application challenges, such as stability, evaluation standardization, and strategies for large-scale production, all of which are critical for realizing the full potential of SST technologies.