Photothermal anti-icing/deicing superhydrophobic coatings: Theory, mechanism and application

Photothermal materials have garnered significant interest in active deicing applications owing to their broadband solar absorption and superior photothermal conversion capabilities. In parallel, superhydrophobic surfaces engineered through Cassie-Baxter wetting state construction have emerged as a pivotal passive anti-icing strategy for outdoor equipment. Recent advancements in nanofabrication technologies and multiphysics coupling theories have accelerated the development of photothermal-superhydrophobic composites, demonstrating synergistic anti-icing potential. This review systematically examines the fundamental mechanisms underlying surface wettability, with particular emphasis on superhydrophobic ice prevention principles and photon-to-heat conversion thermodynamics. We comprehensively analyze research progress in carbon-based, two-dimensional transition metal compounds (2D-TMCs), metallic, and polymeric photothermal-superhydrophobic materials, while assessing preparation methodologies for such coatings and their respective merits and limitations. Furthermore, cutting-edge hybrid strategies are critically evaluated, including photothermal/slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS), photothermal/electrothermal coupling, and photothermal/phase-change thermal storage approaches, along with their inherent technical challenges. Current performance evaluations primarily rely on laboratory-scale testing, highlighting an urgent need for field validation in practical scenarios. This work concludes by summarizing real-world applications of photothermal-superhydrophobic coatings, offering strategic insights to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial implementation. Continuous innovation is expected to yield cost-effective, eco-friendly, and scalable photothermal-superhydrophobic surfaces, ultimately providing robust solutions for ice mitigation on outdoor infrastructure.