Recent advances in photothermal superhydrophobic coatings for anti-icing and de-icing

Inspired by the self-cleaning effect of lotus leaves and the solar photothermal conversion effect, photothermal superhydrophobic coatings show great potential for application as a new type of anti-icing material. The recent advances of photothermal superhydrophobic coatings in the field of anti-icing and de-icing was reviewed in this paper. First, the mechanism of ice formation and propagation, including ice nucleation theory and icing propagation mechanism, is introduced in detail. Subsequently, the working principle of photothermal superhydrophobic coatings is discussed, focusing on the analysis of their superhydrophobicity, icephobicity, and the role of photothermal effect in anti-icing and de-icing. Then, the preparation methods of photothermal superhydrophobic coatings and their characterization techniques are reviewed, covering a variety of preparation processes, such as sol-gel method, chemical vapor deposition, template method, layer-by-layer self-assembly method, and spray painting method, as well as the characterization means in terms of microstructure, chemical composition, optical properties, wettability, and photothermal properties. In addition, internal and external factors affecting the anti-icing and de-icing performance of photothermal superhydrophobic coatings, including surface mechanical strength, rough structural morphology, and low-temperature and high-humidity environments, are also deeply analyzed in this paper. Finally, the current challenges of photothermal superhydrophobic coatings for anti-icing and de-icing in terms of transparency and robustness are pointed out, and future research directions are envisioned, such as the development of photothermal superhydrophobic coatings for anti-icing and de-icing with self-adjusting heat dissipation function, and the enhancement of the research on the photothermal effect under low light intensity. Theoretical references and practical guidance are aimed to be provided by this paper for further research and application of photothermal superhydrophobic coatings in the field of anti-icing and de-icing.