Multifunctional Fe3O4-based photothermal superhydrophobic composite coating for efficient anti-icing/deicing

Solving the problem of ice accumulation on solid surfaces is of great importance to industrial production and human life. At present, the design of most anti-icing materials faces the problems of high cost, complex preparation, environmental pollution and energy consumption. In this work, we propose a rapid and simple preparation method for anti-icing/deicing coatings. A photothermal superhydrophobic coating was quickly prepared by a two-step deposition method using Fe3O4@PDMS mixed liquor, in which Fe3O4 particles not only have excellent photothermal conversion property, but also can impart the coating surface with micro-nanoscale rough structure, PDMS is used as a binder to enhance the durability of the coating while providing low surface energy. The results reveal that the surface temperature of the coating can rise to 85 °C in 10 min under simulated sunlight irradiation and melt the frozen droplets in 270 s. The prepared coating also shows excellent superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 160° and is able to delay icing time up to 660 s. In addition, the coating has excellent self-cleaning, anti-fouling and mechanical durability properties. Furthermore, the hydrophobicity can be quickly restored by a simple simulated sunlight treatment even if the surface of the coating is impacted by water. Therefore, this multifunctional anti-icing/deicing coating with simple preparation and low cost has a broad application prospect. •Rapid preparation of photothermal superhydrophobic coating with excellent anti-icing/deicing properties.•Fe3O4 particles convert solar energy into heat to provide energy for deicing.•Fe3O4 particles modified by PDMS build a rough structure to impart excellent water repellency to the surface.•Anti-abrasion, self-cleaning and self-healing properties meet the long-term service condition of the coating.