An innovative conductive composite, ionically conductive mortar, is developed in this study. The directional migration of ions under external voltage makes the mortar conductive. The electrical resistance of the mortar causes the mortar to generate heat, which is used for deicing. To ensure conductivity, the number of free ions and the moisture content in the mortar must stay relatively high. The specimens were soaked in electrolyte solutions for 96 hours to saturation and coated with epoxy resin. Subsequent electrical heating tests showed that the specimens could achieve a heating rate of 19.7°C (35.5°F) in 120 minutes under 30 V AC. This heating performance would improve with increasing applied voltage.

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