Low-voltage and -surface energy SWCNT/poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) nanocomposite film: Surface wettability for passive anti-icing and surface-skin heating for active deicing

Icing is a multiphase/multiscale/multiparameter physical process, and is of frequent occurrence when suitable conditions with temperature, pressure and humidity are met. In the present work, we prepared a series of PDMS-matrix nanocomposite films with different SWCNT contents, which were endowed with hydrophobicity based on the low-surface-energy PDMS matrix and the conductivity on the SWCNT filler. Furthermore, by etching the pillar-textured structure on its surface, the nanocomposite with 5.0 wt% SWCNT was given the superhydrophobicity. These nanocomposites can be easily switched from a hydrophobic anti-icing mode to an electro-thermal deicing mode by supplying a low voltage. Using non-contact infrared thermometry, we presented an analysis of the freezing phase transition process of a single water droplet on cooling surfaces with different wettability, and investigated their ice nucleation rate and macroscopic growth velocity on these surfaces. The ice-retarding capability of superhydrophobic nanocomposite surface subjected to lots of condensed droplets was also confirmed, and understanding in light of weak contact interaction with droplets. Also under consideration is the icephobicity after freezing in terms of ice shear strength. In addition, we performed a statistical analysis about the Joule heat distribution on nanocomposite surface, the results of which demonstrated that the nanocomposite could supply a suitable heating function for active deicing, demonstrating with an energy-input deicing experiment subsequently.