Amphiphilic icephobic coatings

A series of amphiphilic siloxane polyurethane (AmSiPU) coatings were investigated for their icephobic properties. The use of coatings having amphiphilic surfaces for anti-icing applications has not been studied to a large extent although these types of coatings have more recently been studied for anti-fouling (AF)/foul release (FR) applications. Several polyurethane based amphiphilic coatings were prepared having variations in the composition as well as molecular weight of hydrophobic polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS), and hydrophilic polyethylene glycol (PEG). Surface characterizations of the coatings revealed the presence of both PDMS and PEG moieties, implying amphiphilic surface characteristics. The icephobic properties of these coatings were evaluated to investigate if amphiphilic formulations can deter ice adhesion. Water absorption and barrier behaviors of these coatings and their correlation to anti-icing properties were also studied.