Dictyophora-Inspired Breathable Photothermal Superhydrophobic Coatings via Microphase Separation for Efficient Anti/Deicing in Low-Temperature, High-Humidity Environments

Photothermal superhydrophobic coatings suffer performance degradation in low-temperature, high-humidity environments due to vapor-condensation-induced mechanical interlocking within micro/nanostructures. Inspired by the interconnected porous network of dictyophora, we engineered a multifunctional biomimetic coating (PSPA) by incorporating polydopamine (PDA) into a low-surface-energy polymer network and precisely regulating microphase separation to construct a dictyophora-mimetic interconnected microporous architecture. This bioinspired design enables efficient vapor transport (29.8% transmission rate of ordinary cement boards), effectively suppressing vapor condensation and ice-substrate mechanical interlocking under harsh conditions while extending the static icing delay time to 674 s. Simultaneously, synergistic photothermal conversion via multiscale PDA and hierarchical micro/nanostructures achieves rapid active deicing within 20 s, with the interconnected network further imparting exceptional mechanical/chemical stability. This work establishes a new paradigm for highly efficient, reliable anti/deicing coatings in aerospace and extreme environments.