Understanding the
ice adhesion mechanism is vital for
efficient
anti-icing. However, previous studies focused on the adhesion of already
sintered ice-solid contacts. Here, we study the adhesion mechanism
between preformed ice and solid surfaces. In particular, we investigate
the initial stages of ice adhesion. We find that capillary bridges
formed by the quasi-liquid layer on the ice surface enhance ice adhesion.
The adhesion force showed a maximum around −2 °C. Our
model indicates that the nano-scaled curvature of the capillary bridge
gives rise to strong adhesion forces in the temperatures between −5
and 0 °C. The capillary bridge expands and consolidates over
time, causing an increase of adhesion force. These findings provide
new physical insights into the ice adhesion mechanism with strong
implications to the development of water-repellent superhydrophobic
coatings for efficient anti-icing of solid surfaces.
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