Applications of superhydrophobic coatings in anti-icing: Theory, mechanisms, impact factors, challenges and perspectives

Abstract Because undesired surface icing can cause tremendous losses to human life and property, innovative methods of anti-icing must be exploited urgently. Recent increasing studies suggest that superhydrophobic coatings originating from nature possess active anti-icing performances and great application prospects, but such anti-icing performances and developments in practical applications are restricted by various factors. In this review, the wide applications, general theories and mechanisms of anti-icing of superhydrophobic coatings were introduced. Subsequently, the main impact factors, including the internal factors such as the morphology of surface rough structure and mechanical strength of superhydrophobic coatings, and the external factors such as environmental atmosphere and/or weather conditions on anti-icing performances were discussed and analyzed. Furthermore, aiming at the factors currently difficult to eliminate, the functional superhydrophobic coatings with unique properties such as self-migration, easy-repairable, and self-healing as countermeasures were proposed, and their current research status was given a full overview, and especially the problems and challenges were indicated. Finally, conclusions, future trends, and development directions of such anti-icing superhydrophobic coatings were presented.