Icephobic Behaviour and Thermal Stability of Flame-Sprayed Polyethylene Coating: The Effect of Process Parameters

The present work investigates the effect of different process parameters on the production of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) coatings by flame spray technology. Previously, flame spraying of polymers has been successfully performed to obtain durable icephobic coatings, providing an interesting solution for applications facing icing problems, e.g. in marine, aviation, energy, and transportation industry. However, the fine tailoring of the process parameters represents a necessary strategy for optimising the coating production due to the unique thermal properties of each polymer. For this purpose, we vary the heat input of the process during flame spraying of the coating, by changing the transverse speed and the spraying distance. The results show that the variation in the process parameters strongly influenced the quality of the polymer coating, including its areal roughness, thickness, chemical composition, thermal stability, and degree of crystallinity. Furthermore, we demonstrate that these properties significantly affect the icephobic behaviour of the surface within the spray window of the chosen parameters. In conclusion, the relationship between the thermal degradation of the polymer and the icephobicity of the surface was defined. This highlights the importance of process parameter optimisation in order to achieve the desired icephobic performance of the LPDE coatings.