Refillable anti-icing SBS composite films

Abstract

The lifetime of release-based anti-icing systems can be improved by refilling after the complete release of active agents. A novel swelling mediated consecutive filling of Diatomaceous Earth (DE) loaded Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene (SBS) composite films with PEG for anti-icing applications is reported. The degree of swelling and the diffusion of active agents into the composite was controlled by adjusting the composition of a binary mixture consisting of a non-solvent (acetone) and a good solvent (diethyl ether (DiEt)). Rhodamine 6G was used as a probe to show the extent of diffusion of dissolved molecules into SBS. The reversible loading of PEG-600 as anti-icing agent up to 19% by weight into DE/SBS composites and the complete release in the binary mixture having 30 vol. % DiEt was successfully achieved in consecutive cycles. After the 5th loading cycle, these composite films exhibited similar water contact angles (∼ 64°) and freezing delay times within error bars as those of the 1st loading cycle. At −15 °C, the average freezing delay time of the water droplets on DE/SBS composites filled with PEG in 30 vol. % DiEt was increased by a factor of three to 120 s. The successful refilling of the composites with reversible loading/release cycles and without any deterioration in the anti-icing properties at least up to 5 cycles is a significant contribution to the lifetime of release based functional coatings.