Carbon nanotube-enabled coatings for advanced anti-icing and deicing applications

Abstract

Ice accumulation presents persistent challenges across critical infrastructure sectors, including aviation, energy transmission, transportation, and telecommunications. With the advancement of nanomaterials, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have emerged as powerful components for the design of high-performance anti-icing and deicing coatings. Owing to their exceptional thermal, electrical, and surface properties, CNTs enable both passive (e.g., superhydrophobic) and active (e.g., photothermal, electrothermal) strategies for ice mitigation. This review critically examines the integration of pristine and chemically modified CNTs into functional coatings, highlighting synthesis approaches, surface engineering, performance metrics, and operational mechanisms – reported from 2016 to 2025. Particular emphasis is placed on the correlation between coating efficacy and the physicochemical characteristics of CNT surfaces, interpreted through the framework of Hansen Solubility Parameters (HSPs) as a predictive tool for CNT–matrix compatibility and icephobic performance. By mapping structure–function relationships and identifying synergistic design strategies, this work provides a comprehensive perspective on the future development of scalable, durable, and climate-resilient CNT-based anti-icing and deicing technologies.