Current Ice Adhesion Testing Methods and the Need for a Standard: A Concise Review

Abstract

Ice accretion is a serious problem in cold climates, causing automobile and airplane accidents, as well as severe economic losses throughout various sectors. To combat these issues, many solutions have been developed, such as de-icing materials, which can delay or prevent the adhesion of ice to a surface through chemical, temperature, or physical means. To effectively assess the properties of a de-icing material, ice adhesion testing must be conducted, of which there are numerous types, each with their own characteristics. Unfortunately, the same material, tested with different methods, may provide very different ice adhesion values. This makes it difficult to properly characterize a material’s de-icing properties and compare values across the literature. In this review, we identified the main ice adhesion testing methods and compared ice adhesion values for a particular material with different testing methods. We then discussed some of the main issues with current ice testing methods and identified some of the main factors that may affect ice adhesion values, namely ice quality and the use of a mold, which may significantly affect the final ice adhesion results. Finally, we proposed a new, simple standard testing method, in an attempt to eliminate some of the issues with current ice testing methods.

Influence of Preparation Methods and Nanomaterials on Hydrophobicity and Anti-Icing Performance of Nanoparticle/Epoxy Coatings

“…Reducing interlocking at the ice-pavement interface involves employing a combined vertical pulling force and horizontal shear force, which is a conventional road de-icing method. Adhesion strength testing methods commonly include the horizontal shear test and tensile test [34][35][36].…”

Comprehensive Measurement of the Adhesion between Ice or Glass and Model PDMS Coatings

“…[35] Some authors have recently proposed the push-off technique as a standard adhesion measurement method for coatings characterization due to its simplicity, easy implementation in nonspecialized laboratories, and compatibility with ice testing. [36,37] In this technique an ice block is formed on the surface of a coating and a peak force is recorded as the ice is sheared off the coating. It is commendable because, in principle, the force relates directly to the geometry and materials' properties through the relationship [38]…”

“…[ 35 ] Some authors have recently proposed the push‐off technique as a standard adhesion measurement method for coatings characterization due to its simplicity, easy implementation in nonspecialized laboratories, and compatibility with ice testing. [ 36,37 ] In this technique an ice block is formed on the surface of a coating and a peak force is recorded as the ice is sheared off the coating. It is commendable because, in principle, the force relates directly to the geometry and materials’ properties through the relationship [ 38 ] where F is force at failure, A is the contact area between the coating and the ice, t is the coating thickness, μ is the coating's shear modulus, and is the critical energy release rate of the ice/coating interface.…”

Does Standardisation Ensure a Reliable Assessment of the Performance of Construction Products?

“…The need for standardisation, meant as harmonisation of rules and developing and issuing standards from authorised institutions, can be noticed in nearly all areas of human activity. It applies most to standardising operating procedures, including but not limited to test methods [1][2][3]. The idea is to ensure comparable results of operations carried out by different entities.…”