Fabrication of a Bionic Superhydrophobic Surface with Photothermal and Electrothermal Performance for All-Weather Anti-Icing

All-weather anti-icing/deicing materials with photothermal and electrothermal functionalities are of substantial significance to solve the problem of ice accumulation. In this work, polypropylene with bionic rose petal micro-/nanostructures and conductive carbon black (CB) (Bionic PP/CB) is fabricated by a template method. The template is obtained by replicating fresh rose petals with phenolic resin and spraying conductive CB. The contact angle of Bionic PP/CB is up to 162.5°, and the rolling angle is as low as 2.5°. The superhydrophobicity of Bionic PP/CB is theoretically analyzed by calculating the liquid-air contact area and surface energy. The ice adhesion strength of the surface is as low as 6.06 kPa. Due to the incorporation of CB, the effects of ultraviolet light, acid immersion, and friction on the superhydrophobic properties can be effectively mitigated. The photothermal performance of Bionic PP/CB has been improved, and it can be used for photothermal anti-icing. CB can form conductive paths on the surface to achieve electrothermal conversion, which can compensate for insufficient sunlight. The temperature of Bionic PP/CB can reach 132 °C at 15 V, which can greatly shorten the melting time and effectively prevent surface frosting. Leveraging the synergistic effects of photothermal and electrothermal functionalities, the surface combined with bionic micro-/nanostructures and CB has promising applications in the fabrication of low-cost, energy-efficient, all-weather anti-icing/deicing materials.