A Robust Bilayer Superhydrophobic Coating Based on Graphene Oxide with Integrated Photothermal Effects for Efficient Anti-/Deicing and Durability Applications

Photothermal superhydrophobic coatings are considered to be highly promising materials for anti-icing and deicing applications, owing to their rapid hydrophobicity, delayed ice formation, and effective photothermal deicing capabilities. However, the complex fabrication process, inadequate mechanical stability, and short service life seriously restrict the application of the coating in practical engineering. This paper introduces a novel double-layer superhydrophobic coating that optimizes both the structural design and the preparation process. This innovation significantly enhances anti-icing and deicing performance as well as mechanical wear resistance. In comparison to single-layer structures, the inclusion of a PVAc adhesive layer provides superior wear resistance. The PVAc-EP/GO/n-SiO₂ @PFDT (PEGS) coating exhibits excellent superhydrophobic properties, with a water contact angle (CA) of 160.1° and a sliding angle (SA) of 1.0°. The PEGS coating not only extends the freezing time by 528 s, which is 14 times longer than that of the bare substrate, but it also decreases the photothermal deicing time by 75%. Due to the low-adhesion characteristics of the superhydrophobic surface, water droplets can quickly bounce off, significantly reducing contact time. In addition, the coating withstands 550 cm of sandpaper abrasion and 1100 tape peeling cycles. After immersion in a 3.5 wt % NaCl solution for 11 days, PEGS still exhibited excellent superhydrophobicity, demonstrating outstanding durability. Furthermore, this research provides new ideas for the design of new materials with stable anti-icing and deicing coating surfaces, which will be applicable to various fields in cold or low-temperature climates.