Condensation and freezing of droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces

Abstract

Superhydrophobic coatings are reported as promising candidates for anti-icing applications. Various studies have shown that as well as having ultra water repellency the surfaces have reduced ice adhesion and can delay water freezing. However, the structure or texture (roughness) of the superhydrophobic surface is subject to degradation during the thermocycling or wetting process. This degradation can impair the superhydrophobicity and the icephobicity of those coatings. In this review, a brief overview of the process of droplet freezing on superhydrophobic coatings is presented with respect to their potential in anti-icing applications. To support this discussion, new data is presented about the condensation of water onto physically decorated substrates, and the associated freezing process which impacts on the freezing of macroscopic droplets on the surface.

The icephobic performance of alkyl-grafted aluminum surfaces

“…Significantly delayed ice formation [3,10,12,13,15,16,23,26] and reduced ice adhesion or accumulation [3,10,[15][16][17]19,21,25] have been reported for various SHSs. Theoretical models have also been developed, demonstrating how SHSs can delay ice formation from impinging water droplets [9,11,13], which is in good agreement with experimental work [3,14,25,26].…”

“…The design and use of surfaces/coatings with minimum ice adherence and reduced ice accumulation is still actively considered as the most appealing and universal approach to the problem [3,[5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. Most of the existing studies on anti-ice surfaces are focused on the reduction of ice adhesion strength [1,[5][6][7][8]10,[19][20][21][22][23][24] or delayed ice nucleation/formation [3,9,12,13,23,25,26]. Therefore lately the research in this area has been chiefly focused on the use and development of superhydrophobic surfaces (SHSs) for preventing ice formation and accumulation [4,[9][10][11][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]…”

“…Most of the existing studies on anti-ice surfaces are focused on the reduction of ice adhesion strength [1,[5][6][7][8]10,[19][20][21][22][23][24] or delayed ice nucleation/formation [3,9,12,13,23,25,26]. Therefore lately the research in this area has been chiefly focused on the use and development of superhydrophobic surfaces (SHSs) for preventing ice formation and accumulation [4,[9][10][11][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][25][26][27][28][29]. Significantly delayed ice formation [3,10,12,13,15,16,23,26] and reduced ice adhesion or accumulation [3,…”

“…Therefore lately the research in this area has been chiefly focused on the use and development of superhydrophobic surfaces (SHSs) for preventing ice formation and accumulation [4,[9][10][11][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][25][26][27][28][29]. Significantly delayed ice formation [3,10,12,13,15,16,23,26] and reduced ice adhesion or accumulation [3,10,[15][16][17]19,21,25] have been reported for various SHSs. Theoretical models have also been developed, demonstrating how SHSs can delay ice formation from impinging water droplets [9,11,13], which is in good agreement with experimental work [3,14,25,26].…”

“…At the same time, several recent reports have raised doubts about SHSs as universal and durable anti-ice materials with long-term service and high efficiency under different conditions [1,[13][14][15][16]22,27,[29][30][31].…”