A transparent quasi-solid slippery surface with photothermal/electrothermal properties for all-day anti-icing/deicing

Ice accumulation has emerged as a pressing issue, considerably compromising the reliability of equipment. Combining passive slippery and active electrothermal/photothermal surfaces provides a high-efficiency strategy for anti-icing/deicing. However, the transparency and durability of a material still pose substantial limitations on its further application. Herein, a bilayer anti-icing/deicing coating with transparent quasi-solid slippery and electrothermal/photothermal properties is reported. The top transparent photothermal slippery coating (TPSC) is created by embedding graphene nanoparticles, which store oil within a smooth epoxy resin surface, which demonstrates high transparency, stable water-slippery capability, and remarkable photothermal properties. The TPSC remains slippery after being exposed to ultraviolet irradiation and subjected to multiple tape peeling cycles, showing exceptional durability. The TPSC also exhibits excellent photothermal performance at a light transmittance of up to 78%, with its surface temperature reaching approximately 42°C under 1.9-sun illumination. The bottom conductive silver grid layer fabricated using inkjet printing technology gives the surface excellent transparent electrothermal capability for all-day anti-icing/deicing. This multifunctional coating applied to a glass surface effectively prevents icing and simultaneously melts preformed ice and thick frost by applying sunlight and voltage. This work is expected to enlighten the design of next-generation anti-icing/deicing surfaces in various industry fields.