Preparation of slow-release biologically active anti-icing filler and study on the anti-icing long-lasting performance

The conventional chlorine-based anti-icing filler poses risks of structural damage and environmental pollution during the removal of frozen pavement, and its long-term effectiveness is not guaranteed. In light of this, a novel environmentally-friendly slow-release biologically active anti-icing filler with a core-membrane structure was designed and prepared in this study. The particle morphology characteristics and composition of the slow-release biologically active anti-icing fillers were assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). The anti-freezing and the slow-release mechanism of the slow-release biologically active anti-icing fillers were comprehensively discussed. Additionally, a service life model was developed to predict the effective anti-icing cycle and performance. The results demonstrated that the salting-out method effectively coated the antifreeze protein (AFP), maintaining its desirable appearance and achieving an ideal coating effect. After 27, 35, and 44 cycles of immersion freeze-thaw, the anti-icing packing samples with 3%, 6%, and 9% mass reached the failure state respectively. Furthermore, the modeling of the slow-release active anti-icing micro-surface service life indicated that the effective anti-icing life increased with higher dosages of the anti-icing filler. Overall, this study highlights the favorable long-lasting anti-icing effect of the slow-release biologically active anti-icing filler, offering a novel and environmentally-friendly approach to address winter asphalt pavement icing.