Biomimetic Xanthium Strumarium Inspired Superhydrophobic Anti-/De-Icing Films with Near-Infrared Light-Induced Self-Healing

Superhydrophobic surfaces are susceptible to structural deformation and damage during use, which significantly impacts their long-term stability and performance in anti-/de-icing applications. To address this challenge, a biomimetic superhydrophobic polyurethane film inspired by Xanthium strumarium (PBXS) is proposed. This film not only delivers efficient anti-/de-icing performance but also demonstrates exceptional long-term durability. Even when the surface structure undergoes deformation or complete fracture, it can quickly self-heal under near-infrared light, restoring its original properties. The results show that, due to the superhydrophobic micron spine array and photothermal effect, PBXS can delay droplet freezing at low temperatures (−10 °C, 2052 s) and enable rapid de-icing (1 sun, 187 s). Moreover, by incorporating the shape-memory properties of thermoplastic polyurethane and self-healing capability, PBXS effectively addresses issues related to surface deformation (after ten deformation-healing cycles, PBXS maintains a water contact angle of 157 ± 1° and a rolling angle of 15.4 ± 1°) and material rupture (after ten fracture-healing cycles, PBXS retains a water contact angle of 152 ± 1° and a rolling angle of 16.1 ± 1°). This innovative approach enhances the long-term performance of anti-/de-icing films and shows significant potential for applications in road transportation, power transmission lines, and other anti-/de-icing fields.