Scalable Robust and Photothermal‐Responsive Superhydrophobic Coating with Switchable Wettability and Dewetting Ability for Efficient Anti‐/Deicing

Abstract Superhydrophobic coating (SHC) and slippery liquid‐infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) have shown significant potential in anti‐icing field. In this work, a smart photo‐thermal‐responsive superhydrophobic coating (PTRSHC) with switchable wettability between superhydrophobic and slippery states is constructed by introducing phase‐change materials (n‐nonadecane) and a simple spraying method, which is inspired by lotus leaf and Nepenthes surfaces. Additionally, n‐nonadecane not only serves as a solid/liquid lubricant but also supports a low‐surface‐energy material, which enhances water repellency and anti‐/deicing performance. Due to the smart wettability switching, water and ice in Wenzel state can also be quickly removed, which is hard to achieve on traditional SHC. It solves possible terrible anti‐icing capability in harsh environments because of the mechanical interlocking between micro‐nanostructures and ice. Moreover, the surface can maintain a more durable slippery capability than that of the traditional SLIPS. The coating exhibits an extraordinarily long freezing time of 10195 s, an ice‐melting time of 238 s under 1 sun, and an ice adhesion strength as low as 26.9 kPa. Importantly, the coating also has excellent wear resistance and chemical stability. This work provides a new idea for designing and constructing of smart and durable anti‐/deicing surfaces which can be widely applied outdoors.