Multi-functional anti-icing hydrogel materials and methods for controlling ice nucleation, growth and adhesion
View Patent ↗Highly efficient, multi-functional anti-icing compositions and methods of their use are provided. Anti-icing compositions include hydrogels configured to form thin film coatings on various surfaces via spin coating under UV irradiation. Multifunctional anti-icing platforms are based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-grafted polyelectrolyte hydrogels. Methods for grafting hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chains onto a hydrophilic polyelectrolyte network containing various counterions, forming a multifunctional hybrid anti-icing hydrogel are also provided.
1. An anti-icing material comprising:
a hydrophilic polyelectrolyte material containing at least one counterion, and
a hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS);
wherein the PDMS is cross-linked onto the polyelectrolyte material;
wherein the anti-icing material inhibits ice nucleation, inhibits ice propagation, and reduces ice adhesion.
2. The anti-icing material of claim 1 , wherein the anti-icing material inhibits ice nucleation at a temperature of lower than −30° C.
3. The anti-icing material of claim 1 , wherein the anti-icing material inhibits ice propagation at a time of greater than 500 s/cm 2 .
4. The anti-icing material of claim 1 , wherein the anti-icing material reduces ice adhesion strength to less than 20 kPa.
5. The anti-icing material of claim 1 , wherein the anti-icing material is a hydrogel.
6. The anti-icing material of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic polyelectrolyte material is poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid-co-N-allylacrylamide).
7. The anti-icing material of claim 6 , further comprising [poly[2-(Methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium].
8. The anti-icing material of claim 1 , wherein the PDMS has a molecular weight from 0.9 K to 13.2 K.
9. The anti-icing material of claim 1 , wherein the at least one counterion is selected from the group of: iodide (I − ), acetate (Ac − ), chloride (Cl − ), hexafluorophosphate (PF 6 − ), SO 4 2− , and PFO − .
10. The anti-icing material of claim 1 , wherein the material is deposited on a substrate selected from the group of: metal, plastic, glass, silicon, ceramic, and polymer.
11. The anti-icing material of claim 10 , wherein the metal is copper, aluminum, aluminum alloy, or steel.
12. The anti-icing material of claim 10 , wherein the polymer is PDMS or polyethylene.
13. The anti-icing material of claim 1 , wherein the anti-icing material is spin-coated onto a substrate to form a film.
14. The anti-icing material of claim 13 , wherein the film has a thickness of 53 nm.
15. A method of fabricating an anti-icing coating, comprising:
functionalizing a substrate with at least one vinyl group;
preparing a precursor solution comprising at least one hydrophilic polyelectrolyte material, a hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane, and an initiator;
depositing the precursor solution on the substrate; and
polymerizing the precursor solution on the substrate to form the anti-icing coating.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the deposition of the precursor solution is by spin coating.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the polymerization is by UV light.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the anti-icing coating inhibits ice nucleation at a temperature of lower than −30° C.
19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the anti-icing coating inhibits ice propagation at a time of greater than 500 s/cm 2 .
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the anti-icing coating reduces ice adhesion strength to less than 20 kPa.
21. The method of claim 15 , wherein the anti-icing coating is a hydrogel.
22. The method of claim 15 , wherein the hydrophilic polyelectrolyte material is poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid-co-N-allylacrylamide).
23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising [poly[2-(Methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium].
24. The method of claim 15 , wherein the PDMS has a molecular weight from 0.9 K to 13.2 K.
25. The method of claim 15 , further comprising ion exchanging the polymerized anti-icing coatings with a counterion.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the counterion is selected from the group of: iodide (I − ), acetate (Ac − ), chloride (Cl − ), hexafluorophosphate (PF 6 − ), SO 4 2− , and PFO − .
27. The method of claim 15 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group of: metal, plastic, glass, silicon, ceramic, and polymer.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the metal is copper, aluminum, aluminum alloy, or steel.
29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the polymer is PDMS or polyethylene.