Anti/de-icing performance of the one-step electrodeposited superhydrophobic surfaces: Role of surface polarity regulated by hydrocarbon radical length

Abstract The superhydrophobic surfaces with different polarity regulated by hydrocarbon radical length were fabricated by a facile one-step electrodeposition method in order to survey the effect of surface polarity on anti/de-icing performance. The as-prepared superhydrophobic surface, electrodeposited in the solution composed of Ce(NO3)3 6H2O and stearic acid, displayed higher superhydrophobicity with a contact angle reaching 173.02 ± 1.02° and a rolling angle being only 1.5°. The ideal non-wettability was mainly attributed to the formed micro-nanostructures during the one-step electrodeposition process and the lower-polarity of [CH3(CH2)16COO]3Ce with the extension of –CH2 length. Furthermore, lower-polarity surface could induce smaller water-adhesion dissipation energy, resulting in the obvious reduction in the contact time (11.8 ms) of an impact droplet. In terms of the anti-icing performance, the icing delay time could reach 612.68 s at −15 ℃, and still had a higher value of 39.12 s even at −40 ℃, which could be also reflected by the statistical data of freezing temperature (-20.27 ℃). An ultra-low ice adhesion of 5.72 kPa was achieved on lower-polarity surface, meanwhile, the surface anti/de-icing cycle durability could be improved by 32% owing to the addition of an oxide layer. Understanding the influencing mechanism of surface polarity on anti/de-icing performance could provide theoretical guidance for the development of passive anti/de-icing technologies in aviation industry field.