The Enhanced Hydrophobic, Photothermal, and Anti-Icing/Ice-Melting Performance of C/TiN/WC/PDMS Composite Coating by Inserting a Thermal Insulation Layer

Enhancing the hydrophobic and photothermal characteristics of the coating can significantly boost its anti-icing/ice-melting capabilities. In this study, an epoxy resin thermal insulation layer is interposed between the aluminum sheet substrate and the C/TiN/WC/PDMS photothermal composite coating. This method not only equips the coating with exceptional superhydrophobic properties but also markedly elevates its photothermal and anti-icing/ice-melting performance. The incorporation of the thermal insulation layer has been observed to elevate the water contact angle from approximately 125° to 155° ± 0.5° while simultaneously reducing the water sliding angle from over 90° to about 4° ± 0.5°. In an environmental setting of -15 °C and 65% ± 5% humidity, under irradiation of 1.0, 0.7, 0.5, and 0.3 kW/m