Improvement of anti‐icing properties of low surface energy coatings by introducing phase‐change microcapsules

Polymers with low surface energy such as silicone and fluoropolymers are widely applied in preparing anti‐icing coatings, but they may have some limitations. To improve the anti‐icing properties of the coatings, composite coatings were developed by introducing phase‐change microcapsules (PCMs). Room temperature vulcanized silicone rubber and a fluorosilicone methacrylate copolymer were examined. Tests involving infrared thermal imaging, icing delay time, and ice shear strength were performed to determine the anti‐icing properties of the coatings. It was found that during cooling the composite coatings containing PCMs could release the latent heat of phase change to delay the icing process of water droplets on its surface. The introduction of PCMs increased the surface roughness, and the ice shear strengths of the composite coatings could remain at a low level and ice on the coatings could be easily removed, indicating that PCMs could be practicably applied in anti‐icing coatings. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 58:973–979, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers