Multi-functional anti-icing hydrogel materials and methods for controlling ice nucleation, growth and adhesion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11535779-B2
Application number	US-202117185430-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2021
Priority date	Feb 25, 2020
Publication date	Dec 27, 2022
Grant date	Dec 27, 2022

Abstract

Highly efficient, multi-functional anti-icing compositions and methods of their use are provided. Anti-icing compositions include hydrogels configured to form thin film coatings on various surfaces via spin coating under UV irradiation. Multifunctional anti-icing platforms are based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-grafted polyelectrolyte hydrogels. Methods for grafting hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chains onto a hydrophilic polyelectrolyte network containing various counterions, forming a multifunctional hybrid anti-icing hydrogel are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An anti-icing material comprising:
a hydrophilic polyelectrolyte material containing at least one counterion, and
a hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS);
wherein the PDMS is cross-linked onto the polyelectrolyte material;
wherein the anti-icing material inhibits ice nucleation, inhibits ice propagation, and reduces ice adhesion.

2. The anti-icing material of claim 1 , wherein the anti-icing material inhibits ice nucleation at a temperature of lower than −30° C.

3. The anti-icing material of claim 1 , wherein the anti-icing material inhibits ice propagation at a time of greater than 500 s/cm 2 .

4. The anti-icing material of claim 1 , wherein the anti-icing material reduces ice adhesion strength to less than 20 kPa.

5. The anti-icing material of claim 1 , wherein the anti-icing material is a hydrogel.

6. The anti-icing material of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic polyelectrolyte material is poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid-co-N-allylacrylamide).

7. The anti-icing material of claim 6 , further comprising [poly[2-(Methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium].

8. The anti-icing material of claim 1 , wherein the PDMS has a molecular weight from 0.9 K to 13.2 K.

9. The anti-icing material of claim 1 , wherein the at least one counterion is selected from the group of: iodide (I − ), acetate (Ac − ), chloride (Cl − ), hexafluorophosphate (PF 6 − ), SO 4 2− , and PFO − .

10. The anti-icing material of claim 1 , wherein the material is deposited on a substrate selected from the group of: metal, plastic, glass, silicon, ceramic, and polymer.

11. The anti-icing material of claim 10 , wherein the metal is copper, aluminum, aluminum alloy, or steel.

12. The anti-icing material of claim 10 , wherein the polymer is PDMS or polyethylene.

13. The anti-icing material of claim 1 , wherein the anti-icing material is spin-coated onto a substrate to form a film.

14. The anti-icing material of claim 13 , wherein the film has a thickness of 53 nm.

15. A method of fabricating an anti-icing coating, comprising:
functionalizing a substrate with at least one vinyl group;
preparing a precursor solution comprising at least one hydrophilic polyelectrolyte material, a hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane, and an initiator;
depositing the precursor solution on the substrate; and
polymerizing the precursor solution on the substrate to form the anti-icing coating.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the deposition of the precursor solution is by spin coating.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the polymerization is by UV light.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the anti-icing coating inhibits ice nucleation at a temperature of lower than −30° C.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the anti-icing coating inhibits ice propagation at a time of greater than 500 s/cm 2 .

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the anti-icing coating reduces ice adhesion strength to less than 20 kPa.

21. The method of claim 15 , wherein the anti-icing coating is a hydrogel.

22. The method of claim 15 , wherein the hydrophilic polyelectrolyte material is poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid-co-N-allylacrylamide).

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising [poly[2-(Methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium].

24. The method of claim 15 , wherein the PDMS has a molecular weight from 0.9 K to 13.2 K.

25. The method of claim 15 , further comprising ion exchanging the polymerized anti-icing coatings with a counterion.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the counterion is selected from the group of: iodide (I − ), acetate (Ac − ), chloride (Cl − ), hexafluorophosphate (PF 6 − ), SO 4 2− , and PFO − .

27. The method of claim 15 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group of: metal, plastic, glass, silicon, ceramic, and polymer.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the metal is copper, aluminum, aluminum alloy, or steel.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the polymer is PDMS or polyethylene.

Assignees

• Univ California

Inventors

• He Ximin
• He Zhiyuan

Classifications

• C09K3/18 Primary

  for application to surfaces to minimize adherence of ice, mist or water thereto (rendering particulate materials free flowing, in general, e.g. making them hydrophobic B01J2/30); Thawing or antifreeze materials for application to surfaces (used in liquids for heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage or for the production of heat or cold other than by combustion, e.g. radiator liquids, C09K5/00) · CPC title

• B05D2507/01

  Polyethylene · CPC title

• B05D2202/45

  based on Cu · CPC title

• B05D5/08

  to obtain an anti-friction or anti-adhesive surface (rendering particulate materials free-flowing in general, e.g. making them hydrophobic B01J2/30) · CPC title

• B05D2202/15

  Stainless steel · CPC title