Superhydrophobic surfaces engineering for electrical systems applications

Superhydrophobic surfaces offer promising strategies for mitigating pervasive challenges in electrical engineering. This review elucidates how three key functional attributes, namely, staying dry, self-cleaning, and air layer barrier, can address surface-related degradation by detailing their underlying principles and mechanism. We summarize the practical implementation of superhydrophobic coatings across two major domains of electrical systems: power and electronics. In power applications, these coatings suppress flashovers on high-voltage insulators, sustain the output of photovoltaic modules by preventing soiling, alleviate icing on wind-turbine blades and overhead conductors by delaying ice formation and reducing ice adhesion, and mitigate corrosion in metallic towers and transmission cables. In electronics, these coatings keep circuit boards and connectors dry, protect radomes from wet antenna attenuation, and, when incorporated into dual-wettability heat pipes, accelerate condensate removal for enhanced thermal management. While preliminary demonstrations have confirmed their effectiveness, broader industrial implementation remains hampered by challenges in mechanical durability, environmental weatherability, scalable and cost-efficient fabrication, fluorine-free formulation design, standardized testing, and field-service validation. In conclusion, this review provides valuable insights into how superhydrophobicity can effectively address persistent surface-related challenges in electrical systems, thereby promoting the advancement and optimization of electrical systems.