Hydrophobic and Icephobic Behaviour of Polyurethane-Based Nanocomposite Coatings

Abstract

In this paper, hydrophobic nanocomposite coatings based on polyurethane (PUR) modified by nano-silica and silane-based compounds were manufactured by spraying. The main challenge was to assess and improve the hydrophobic as well as anti-icing properties of initially hydrophilic polymer coatings. The prepared nanocomposite coatings were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical profilometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results obtained showed that in order to achieve hydrophobicity, appropriate amounts of nano-silica must be incorporated in the coating, and complete coverage by nano-silica particles is necessary for achieving hydrophobicity. Coating adhesion and the durability of the hydrophobic behaviour were also studied by scratch test and frosting/defrosting cycles, respectively. The results show that use of both nano-silica and silane-based compounds improve the hydrophobic and anti-icing properties of the coating as compared to a non-modified PUR topcoat. A synergistic effect of both additives was observed. It was also found that the anti-icing behaviour does not necessarily correlate with surface roughness and the materials’ wetting properties.

Anticorrosion Superhydrophobic Surfaces on AA6082 Aluminum Alloy by HF/HCl Texturing and Self-Assembling of Silane Monolayer

“…Due to silane self-assembling on the surface, a clear increase in the WCA was observed, from around 69° (value not shown in Figure 5 ) to 101° from the A_R to A_RS samples, respectively. The hydrophobic organic alkyl chains anchored on the aluminum alloy surface positively affect the wetting behavior by greatly reducing its interaction with water [ 11 , 58 , 59 , 60 ], thus allowing the transition from a hydrophilic to a hydrophobic behavior. The coupled action of roughening and silanization effects can be evidenced on the other samples.…”

A Wind Tunnel Experimental Study of Icing on NACA0012 Aircraft Airfoil with Silicon Compounds Modified Polyurethane Coatings

“…The coating thickness was measured as described in a previous paper [ 47 ]. The results were the same for each tested sample: the thickness of the primer layer was and that of the whole system was .…”

New insights into tailoring physicochemical properties for optimizing the anti‐icing behavior of polyurethane coatings

“…Ice accretion and adhesion cause serious problems in the daily operations of vehicles in cold weather regions and can represent a safety hazard 10–14 . Various approaches have been proposed to overcome ice accumulation's destructive effect, including active and passive ice removal methods 13–15 .…”

“…In addition, the adhesion of ice may increase as it penetrates the surface texture 13,14 . PU coatings contain polar groups, such as urethane linkage (RNHCOOR′), and can therefore interact with water droplets on the surface 10,14 . PUs are rather hydrophilic, and fabricating high‐durability hydrophobic PU‐based coatings is quite challenging.…”

“…Ice accretion and adhesion cause serious problems in the daily operations of vehicles in cold weather regions and can represent a safety hazard. [10][11][12][13][14] Various approaches have been proposed to overcome ice accumulation's destructive effect, including active and passive ice removal methods. [13][14][15] Active methods are generally energy-consuming; hence, research focused on passive solutions is increasingly favored.…”