Design and Fabrication of the Lyophobic Slippery Surface and Its Application in Anti-Icing

A suspension that can be sprayed onto substrates was developed to form a superhydrophobic/oleophilic surface. Lyophobic slippery surfaces were prepared by infusing perfluorinated lubricants into the superhydrophobic coating to repel almost all liquids with low surface tension values, including hexane, kerosene, and diesel oil, showing a transition between superoleophilicity and lyophobicity. In addition, the traveling speeds of liquids appeared to be negatively correlated with the kinematic viscosity. In the anti-icing tests, the droplet was pinned after contacting a 0 °C textured superhydrophobic surface for a few seconds because of the meniscus caused by the condensation of atmospheric humidity; by contrast, on the lyophobic slippery surface, a water droplet could easily slide even at −20 °C, demonstrating superior icing resistance.