Enhancing anti-icing efficacy in hybrid polyurethane coatings: Evaluating the significance of molecular weight, chemical structure, and content of PEG/PDMS

• The potential of PEG/PDMS copolymers to significantly enhance the anti-icing properties of polyurethane coatings. • Evaluating the role of PEG/PDMS copolymers in enhancing anti-icing properties. • Identifying a QLL that inhibits ice nucleation and decreases ice adhesion melting in an unfrozen interfacial layer. • Assessing how molecular weight and chemical structure of PEG/PDMS copolymers influence the anti-icing efficacy. This study investigates the advantages of adding polydimethyl siloxane/polyethylene glycol (PEG/PDMS) copolymers to polyurethane coatings, with a particular focus on optimizing anti-icing efficacy. A range of characterization techniques are applied, including attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis, surface roughness measurements, wettability analysis, tensile testing, and ice adhesion measurements, to elucidate the intricate relationships between copolymer molecular weight, chemical structure, and content and their collective effect on the anti-icing properties of the developed coatings. Tailored PEG/PDMS copolymers significantly reduce ice nucleation temperatures and enhance the anti-icing properties of polyurethane coatings. Adding PEG/PDMS copolymers to polyurethane alters the surface roughness, wettability, and mechanical properties of the coatings to improve anti-icing performance. The presence of copolymers decreases ice adhesion strength (<50 kPa), attributed to the formation of a quasi-liquid layer that acts as a lubricant between the ice and the coatings, and delays ice formation. Furthermore, the enhanced durability of copolymer-containing coatings ensures a long-lasting anti-icing effect after multiple icing/de-icing cycles, although some degradation was observed over time. The tailored PEG/PDMS copolymers demonstrate potential for maximizing the anti-icing properties of polyurethane coatings and advancing anti-icing technologies.