Anti-Icing Performance of Superhydrophobic Surface with Square-Ring Structure Prepared by Nanosecond Laser

Herein, a square-ring structure array is constructed on an aluminum alloy surface using a nanosecond laser-processing method. A durable and anti-icing superhydrophobic surface is obtained after heating treatment. The surface properties of the square-ring structure and the icing behavior of the surface are investigated. Results show that the surfaces of the square-ring structure fabricated in two different sizes display a high contact angle of 152.3 degrees and 154.3 degrees and a low sliding angle of 3.3 degrees and 2.1 degrees at a temperature of 15 degrees C, and even at -15 degrees C the surface still displays low adhesion, with a sliding angle lower than 6.3 degrees, which could effectively make the water droplet slide away from the surface before freezing. The anti-icing performance experiment shows that the surface with the square-ring structure has good anti-icing performance, with the icing delay time greater than 700 s, and the icing quantity is greatly reduced at the temperature of -15 degrees C. Finally, the durability experiment shows that both the wettability and the icing delay time performance of the superhydrophobic surface with the newly fabricated square-ring structure display good stability.

Automated summary

A square-ring structure array is created on an aluminum alloy surface using nanosecond laser processing, resulting in a durable and anti-icing superhydrophobic surface. The surfaces exhibit high contact angles and low sliding angles at both 15 degrees C and -15 degrees C, enabling water droplets to slide off before freezing. The surfaces also demonstrate good anti-icing performance, with extended icing delay times and reduced icing quantities at -15 degrees C, indicating stable wettability and performance.