Superhydrophobic and photothermal SiC/TiN durable composite coatings for passive anti-icing/active de-icing and de-frosting

Facing the problems of fossil energy shortage and solid surface icing, the use of solar energy to remove surface ice accumulation is a promising solution. Here, we propose a superhydrophobic coating with a photothermal effect for anti-icing and de-icing and defrosting performance. We designed the coating using a simple secondary spray method. That is, a bonding substrate (epoxy resin) is first constructed on the glass substrate, then a protective layer (polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS)) mixed with SiC/TiN composite particles is sprayed onto the epoxy resin surface, and finally dried to obtain a photothermal superhydrophobic coating. In this design, the coating shows (I) excellent superhydrophobicity (water contact angle = 155°, sliding angle = 4°), (II) excellent photothermal effect (the surface temperature of obtain coating rapidly rose to 111.8 °C under 1 sun), and (III) good chemical and mechanical stability. As a result, the coating shows excellent anti-icing, de-icing, and defrosting properties. For example, the coating can significantly extend the icing time. In the face of surface frozen water droplets, frost layers, and large areas of ice cover, the coating can rapidly photothermally remove surface ice layers under 40 mW cm−2 light irradiation. As a result, the coating is simple to prepare and has excellent superhydrophobic, photothermal anti-icing/de-icing, and defrosting properties. The study is of great significance for multifunctional applications.