Anti-Icing Characteristics of PTFE Super Hydrophobic Coating on Titanium Alloy Surface

Anti-icing is a technology urgently needed for human society to take production activities in high latitude and cold regions. Superhydrophobic coating is widely used to prevent important facilities from icing, such as power lines, building roof and aircraft skin. In this work, PTFE (PTFE, polytetrafluoro-ethylene) super hydrophobic coating was prepared on titanium alloy surface, a falling droplet impacted the PTFE super hydrophobic coating and froze on it. Then continuous freezing and thawing were carried out on the PTFE super hydrophobic coating. The result shows that the adhesion between PTFE super hydrophobic coating and droplet is extremely small. Droplet can bounce and roll along the surface, even at low temperatures. Freezing of droplet on PTFE super hydrophobic coating lasts 760 s, much longer than that of unmodified titanium alloy surface. Furthermore, the PTFE super hydrophobic coating has high wear resistance and can resist freezing and thawing permanently. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Anti-icing technology is essential for human society to conduct production activities in cold regions. PTFE super hydrophobic coating has been proven effective in preventing droplets from freezing, with high wear resistance and permanent resistance to freezing and thawing.