The icephobic performance of alkyl-grafted aluminum surfaces

This work analyzes the anti-icing performance of flat aluminum surfaces coated with widely used alkyl-group based layers of octadecyltrimethoxysilane, fluorinated alkylsilane and stearic acid as they are subjected to repeated icing/deicing cycles. The wetting properties of the samples upon long-term immersion in water are also evaluated. The results demonstrate that smooth aluminum surfaces grafted with alkyl groups are prone to gradual degradation of their hydrophobic and icephobic properties, which is caused by interactions and reactions with both ice and liquid water. This implies that alkyl-group based monolayers on aluminum surfaces are not likely to be durable icephobic coatings unless their durability in contact with ice and/or water is significantly improved

Influence of dodecanol on wetting behavior of superhydrophobic surfaces

Digital processing of the optical image of a sessile droplet was used to study the influence of dodecanol vapors and condensate on the wettability of superhydrophobic coatings by water. Two types of coatings with very different morphologies were used to estimate the stability of the superhydrophobic state in the presence of dodecanol at different regimes of interaction of tested superhydrophobic coatings with dodecanol vapors, including preliminary condensation of dodecanol inside the substrate pores/grooves at different temperatures, a short-term contact of dodecanol vapor with the superhydrophobic coating with the preliminary deposited water droplets and, finally, a long-term contact between substrate with deposited water droplets and the vapor phase saturated with dodecanol vapor. The set of experimental data indicate only minor variations of water contact and roll-off angles for all regimes studied. Such wettability behavior evidences good persistence of superhydrophobic state in conditions of contact with long-chain alcohol vapors