Research on the durability, stability, and anti/de-icing performance of fiber network superhydrophobic coatings embedded with dual-scale PFe3O4@PDA particles

The hydrophobic failure of superhydrophobic coatings in low-temperature, high-humidity environments, coupled with microstructural wear, constrains their practical application in antifreeze technologies. This study introduced a novel strategy utilizing micro-nano particle chains to promote directional alignment of polymer molecular chains, thereby constructing a hierarchical fibrous network architecture that significantly improves the hydrophobic stability of coatings under extreme conditions. Partially hydrophobic rigid microparticles serve as structural scaffolds to protect embedded nanoparticles while acting as reinforcing nodes that enhance the mechanical robustness of the coating matrix. The core–shell structures engineered via polydopamine (PDA) functionalization of micro-nano structured Fe 3 O 4 particles exhibit superior surface reactivity, facilitating the grafting of NH 2 -PDMS-NH 2 (PFe 3 O 4 @PDA). Dynamic imine bonds formed between diamino-terminated polymethoxysiloxane (NH 2 -PDMS-NH 2 ) and benzene-1,3,5-tricarbaldehyde (BTC) mediate the assembly of micro-nano particle chains, which through entropic confinement promote the formation of a hierarchical fibrous network during spray deposition, achieving a contact angle of up to 159.4 ± 0.49° and a rolling angle of 3.1 ± 0.18°. The network structure formed by nPFe 3 O 4 @PDA, distributed on the fiber surface, not only facilitates the self-drainage of condensed droplets and delays the freezing of water droplets, but also directs the formation of uniform ice shells, thus reducing ice adhesion strength. Furthermore, it enhances the photothermal conversion efficiency and thermal conductivity of the coating, enabling the complete melting of ice droplets within 58 s. This fibrous network coating, containing dual-scale particles, exhibits both mechanical and chemical stability, offering a viable design strategy for the implementation of superhydrophobic coatings in anti-icing applications.