Photothermal strategies for ice accretion prevention and ice removal

Solar energy-based renewable energy conversion and storage technologies offer a great promise of combating energy shortage and transitioning to a sustainable society. Efficient collection and transformation play decisive roles in optimizing the harvest of solar energy. Photothermal conversion has emerged as the most efficient solar energy conversion technology, particularly, photothermal coatings could convert light into heat and has triggered a surge of interest in ice removal related applications. Here, we present a comprehensive review of popular documented photothermal conversion materials and the mechanisms of photothermal conversion technologies. Additionally, we pay attention to efficient light-trapping structures for outperformed solar-driven photothermal materials. After that, we investigate the mechanisms of the deicing process. Finally, we discuss the progress of photothermal deicing systems and summarize future challenges in improving their performance. This review serves as a reasonable reference for the classification of photothermal materials and the construction of light-trapping structures, providing valuable insight into the design of photothermal materials for anti-icing applications.