ICEPHOBIC COATINGS WITH TEMPERATURE-DEPENDENT WETTING

摘要

Variations of this invention provide durable, impact-resistant structural coatings that have both dewetting and anti-icing properties. Dewetting and anti-icing performance is simultaneously achieved in a structural coating comprising (a) a continuous matrix; (b) discrete templates that promote surface roughness to inhibit wetting of water; (c) porous voids surrounding the discrete templates; and (d) nanoparticles that inhibit heterogeneous nucleation of water, wherein the discrete templates and/or the nanoparticles include a surface material with hydrophobicity that decreases with increasing temperature. The surface material may be a polymer brush exhibiting an upper critical solution temperature in water of 50° C. or higher. These structural coatings utilize low-cost, lightweight, and environmentally benign materials that can be rapidly sprayed over large areas using convenient coating processes. If the surface is damaged during use, freshly exposed surface will expose a coating identical to that which was removed, for extended lifetime.

主权项

1. A structural coating that inhibits wetting and freezing of water, said structural coating comprising a plurality of layers, wherein each layer includes:
(a) a substantially continuous matrix comprising a hardened material; (b) discrete templates, dispersed uniformly within said matrix, that inhibit wetting of water, wherein said discrete templates have an average template length scale from about 50 nanometers to about 10 microns, wherein said discrete templates promote surface roughness at a surface of said layer, and wherein said surface roughness inhibits wetting of water; (c) porous voids surrounding at least a portion of said discrete templates, wherein said porous voids have an average pore length scale from about 50 nanometers to about 10 microns; and (d) nanoparticles, dispersed uniformly within said matrix, that inhibit heterogeneous nucleation of water, wherein said nanoparticles have an average size of about 50 nanometers or less, wherein said discrete templates and/or said nanoparticles include a surface material providing a surface hydrophobicity that decreases with increasing temperature.