A Self-Replenishing Lubricant Slippery Coating with Low Interfacial Toughness for Enhancing Large-Scale Deicing Efficiency

Ice accumulation on industrial and operational surfaces presents formidable challenges, necessitating effective deicing solutions for diverse applications. In this study, we develop a self-replenishing slippery lubricant (SRLS) coating designed to enhance large-scale deicing efficiency and overcome the limitations of existing low-ice-adhesion surfaces. The SRLS coating is based on a polyorganosilazane (PSZ) matrix infused with silicone oil-loaded hollow mesoporous SiO₂ microspheres (SO@HMSs). These SiO₂ microspheres serve as reservoirs of silicone oil, mitigating premature exudation and enhancing the coating's deicing durability in complex environments. Silicone oil functions as a plasticizer within the PSZ matrix, reducing the interfacial toughness and ice adhesion strength. By optimizing the SO@HMSs content, the SRLS-20 coating achieves a remarkably low interfacial toughness of 0.028 J m^-2 and an ice adhesion strength of 8.51 ± 1.89 kPa, surpassing current state-of-the-art coatings. This reduction in interfacial toughness transitions the ice removal mechanism from strength-controlled to toughness-controlled fracture. The SRLS-20 coating maintains a constant deicing force of 15.43 ± 1.51 N cm^-1 for ice layers exceeding a critical length of 12.20 cm, proving its effectiveness for large-scale deicing applications. Finite element analysis further reveals that the inclusion of SO@HMSs lowers the shear stress required for ice interface crack initiation, enhancing deicing efficiency across an extensive surface. This approach enables the development of durable, large-scale ice-phobic surfaces with low ice adhesion strength and reduced interfacial toughness, offering a robust solution for mitigating ice accumulation in industrial applications.