Pressure-Responsive Self-Lubricating Ice-Phobic Organogel with High Mechanical Strength from Fluorinated Polynorbornene Networks

Developing smart organogels with simultaneous low ice adhesion, high mechanical strength, and durability through a simple method has proven to be challenging yet valuable. In this work, organogels (NF-x) possessing variable liquid paraffin contents (0–50 wt %) with fluorinated polynorbornene networks were produced by ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) using norbornene-trifluoroethyl ester (NF) and dinorbornyl glycol ester (NEG) as monomer and cross-linking agent, respectively. The stability, mechanical behavior, anti-icing, and antifrosting properties were comprehensively investigated. Owing to the well-designed networks, the organogels exhibited excellent stability even under harsh conditions for long-term use. Unprecedentedly, they showed a reversible pressure-responsive effect, wherein the paraffin could migrate from the inside of the gels to form a self-lubricating layer covering the surface under external force and subsequently reabsorbed and recovered to the original state upon force removal, enhancing the on-demand secretion of lubricants to the surface. The sensitivity to the applied force (merely 4 kPa of NF-5) was positively correlated with the paraffin content in the organogels. Benefiting from the fluorinated polynorbornene networks and switchable self-lubricating property, the organogels showed excellent durability in mechanical, anti-icing, and antifrosting properties. Additionally, the mechanical, anti-icing, and antifrosting properties could be adjusted by varying the paraffin content. Notably, the NF-5 ice-phobic coating with 50 wt % paraffin exhibited high mechanical strength (1.69 MPa) and low ice shear strength (17.65 kPa), even after 15 icing–deicing cycles, remaining below 28 kPa. This study offers an approach to conveniently develop smart anti-icing materials with high mechanical durability.