Superhydrophobic, photothermal, MXene/PEI composite film with anti-icing and deicing properties

Superhydrophobic materials have received wide attention in anti-/deicing field because of their hydrophobicity and anti-icing properties. In this paper, a MXene/PEI (Polyetherimide) superhydrophobic anti-/deicing composite film was prepared by laser etching method. The micropillar etched on the film surface can provide superhydrophobicity and increase the light area. The superhydrophobic film coupled with photothermal MXene possess both anti-icing and active deicing properties. The results show that the freezing time of droplets on the MXene/PEI composite film surface is 7 times longer compared to untreated PEI film. In the photothermal deicing mode, the surface temperature rises rapidly when the surface is activated by near infrared light, reaching an equilibrium temperature of up to 188 °C. The photothermal behavior can completely melt the ice droplets on the surface within 19 s, achieving an efficient and stable deicing effect. This research work will broaden the design and preparation ideas of anti-/deicing film, which has broad application prospects in aerospace and industrial equipment fields.