Ice adhesion to pristine and eroded polymer matrix composites reinforced with carbon nanotubes for potential usage on future aircraft

Abstract In aircraft icing conditions, the accretion of super-cooled liquid droplets on to the surface of an aircraft is dependent on numerous factors. In particular the temperature, liquid water concentration and material properties are of crucial importance in this context. This article features results obtained upon accretion of impact ice on pristine and eroded polymeric matrix composites with and without carbon nanotube reinforcement, for potential use in aeronautical applications. Results are shown for ice shear strength of a selection of advanced materials at T  = − 5 °C and T  = − 10 °C for a liquid water concentration LWC  ≅ 0.3 g·m − 3 , actualized in an icing tunnel. The effect of surface roughness is further examined on the considered specimens in relation to their ice shear strength characteristics.