Durability of Lubricated Icephobic Coatings under Multiple Icing/Deicing Cycles

In subzero conditions, atmospheric ice naturally accretes on functional surfaces in outdoor environments. However, this accretion compromises the operational performance of several industrial applications, such as wind turbine, solar panel, power line, aviation and maritime transport. To solve this, the development of durable coating solutions with permanent icephobicity is strongly needed. Here, the performance of lubricated icephobic coatings is studied under multiple icing cycles. Lubricated coatings were produced in one-step by flame spraying with a hybrid feedstock injection. The icephobicity of the coating was investigated by accreting ice on surfaces using an icing wind tunnel. The ice adhesion strength was evaluated by a centrifugal ice adhesion test. The icing performance was tested over multiple ice accretion-detachment cycles. Surface properties of the coatings, such as topography, chemical composition and wettability, were analyzed before and after icing tests. The results showed a general increase in ice adhesion of the coatings over the icing cycles, while still retaining good icephobicity. Moreover, the ice detachment caused an increase in surface roughness. This promotes the formation of mechanical interlocking between the surface and ice, thus justifying the increased ice adhesion. Finally, the hydrophobicity of the surfaces decreased as a consequence of the damaged surface topography.