Buckling-inspired multilayer superhydrophobic surfaces with integrated photo/electro-thermal capabilities for ultra-low-temperature anti-icing and de-icing

Abstract

All -weather and highly efficient anti-icing/deicing surfaces show great potential for solving the problem of ice accumulation on the surface of outdoor equipment. Using photo/electro-thermal superhydrophobic surfaces is an efficient strategy for anti-icing and deicing. However, a significant challenge hindering their practical application is the difficulty in balancing high superhydrophobicity, low ice adhesion and photo/electro-thermal deicing ability, especially in ultra-low-temperature environments (≤50 °C). Inspired by the engineering of the buckling instability phenomenon, this work reports a novel decoupled photo/electro-thermal multilayer superhydrophobic surface (EPS) fabricated though implantation of inverted flexible micro-columns as a flexible supporting layer. The existence of the flexible supporting layer can greatly reduce the interface toughness and ice adhesion force. The EPS exhibited efficient anti-icing/deicing performance and excellent superhydrophobicity, demonstrating a 14-times longer icing delay time than that of the original glass substrate at −70 °C, photo/electro-thermal deicing in 5 min 8 s at −70 °C, a water contact angle (WCA) of 154.1° and a water sliding angle (WSA) of 3.2°. Furthermore, the surface maintained a low ice adhesion force of 4.38 kPa, and after 50 cycles of ice adhesion test, the ice adhesion strength on the surface of EPS remained below 5 kPa. Remarkably, EPS exhibited excellent photo/electro-thermal conversion ability with an average light absorption rate of 95.8%, a significant surface temperature increase of 82.8 °C under 1 sun irradiation and a Joule heat temperature of 224.6 °C at a power density of 0.3 W cm⁻². The ice droplet can easily slide off the surface after photo/electro-thermal deicing in ultralow-temperature environments at −40 °C to −70 °C. After photo/electro-thermal deicing, the surface maintained superhydrophobicity and continuous anti/deicing effects. This research provides a new approach for the design and fabrication of photo/electro-thermal superhydrophobic surfaces, which are conducive to achieving efficient passive anti-icing and active deicing in practical applications.