Self-lubricated anti-icing MOF coating with long-term durability

Abstract In this paper, a novel self-lubricated nanothickness MOF coating (SLNTMC) with excellent and long-term anti-icing performance is designed based on the synergistic anti-icing mechanism of hydrophobic porous micro/nanostructures and lubricating layer. The organosilicone grafted thin UiO-66-NH2 coating is prepared through a three-step reaction. SLNTMCs could reduce the ice adhesion to 9.4 kPa, and lower the freezing temperature of condensed water to -36.0 °C, due to the organosilicone layer of SLNTMC covering the ice nucleation sites on surface and reducing the water/ice adhesion, whilst combined with the porous micro/nano structures which introduce air pockets between water and surface and hinder their thermal conduction. SLNTMCs with larger MOF particle size show lower ice nucleation temperature and the organosilicone molecular weight of 4000–7700 is benefical to improve surface anti-icing performance. The SLNTMC exhibits a long-term durability, it maintains a low ice adhesion after 20 icing/de-icing cycles. Moreover, SLNTMC is a ultrathin, transparent, flexible solid thin film that could be prepared on different polymeric substrates, making them suitable for practical application having different requirements.