Bioinspired durable interpenetrating network anti-icing coatings enabled by binders and hydrophobic-ion specific synergies

• Published in: Chemical engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland : 1996) Switzerland : 1996), 2024-01, Vol.479, p.147836, Article 147836
• Main Authors: Zhang, Shen, Gao, Feng, Jiang, Zhiqin, He, Qinggang, Lu, Jianguo, Hou, Yang, Zhan, Xiaoli, Zhang, Qinghua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-icing; Antifreeze proteins; Deicing; Interpenetrating coatings; Self-cleaning; Synergistic
• ISSN: 1385-8947; 1873-3212
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2023.147836

•A bio-inspired durable interpenetrating network was prepared.•Combined design of ice-binding and non-ice-binding sites in antifreeze proteins.•Hydrophobic-Ion specific synergies provide excellent anti-icing/de-icing performance.•Bionic binders provide superior mechanical durability.•The coating also exhibits self-cleaning, antibacterial, and anti-fogging properties. Designing a coating with a comprehensive range of anti-icing properties is a difficult challenge in the current complex and variable icing environment. Bionic anti-icing coatings have received widespread attention in recent years, but their exposure to mechanical damage conditions tends to result in insufficient durability. This work proposes a novel approach inspired by the antifreeze proteins (AFPs) found in fish, wherein a durable interpenetrating coating with excellent anti-icing and deicing performance is designed by combining a fluorinated amphiphilic ionic polymer with a biomimetic binder. The incorporation of hydrophobic fluorinated chain segments and amphiphilic ionic chain segments effectively inhibits ice nucleation (DT = 2010 s, TIN =  − 22.1 °C), slows down ice propagation, and reduces ice adhesion (τ = 22.2 kPa) through the synergistic effect of hydrophobicity and ionic specificity. Furthermore, the addition of a bionic binder to create an interpenetrating network enhances the mechanical properties and anti-icing durability of the coating. Moreover, it can further function as anti-fogging, self-cleaning, and antibacterial for glass surfaces, demonstrating significant potential in the new generation of optical and medical devices.