Preparation of Stable Superhydrophobic Anti-icing Coating on the Surface of Silicone Rubber Insulators

Outdoor silicone rubber insulators often face the challenge of rapid ice accumulation and difficulty in ice removal, which has garnered significant attention from researchers. However, no effective solution has been found to address this issue. In this study, we successfully developed a micro- and nanostructured superhydrophobic coating on silicone rubber (SR) by incorporating candle soot (CS) nanoparticles onto preexisting microstructures. Experimental findings demonstrate that this coating exhibits exceptional wetting characteristics and can withstand high-pressure water impact and multiple abrasions from sandpaper. Furthermore, it effectively repels supercooled water droplets in wet environments. The SR surface significantly delays droplet freezing, for up to 762 s. After water droplets freeze on the SR surface in a −20 °C freezer, exposing the SR to sunlight for 45 s can cause the ice droplets melt and roll off. The ice adhesion strength on the SR surface is reduced to 35.7 kPa. This research holds promise for achieving anti-icing properties on SR insulators used in high-speed rail transportation and power transmission lines.