Photothermal-lubrication synergistic low-interfacial-toughness PDMS coating for large-area de-icing applications

Large-scale ice removal in extreme environments faces critical challenges of excessive energy consumption and interfacial adhesion issues. A photothermal PDMS low interfacial toughness composited coating incorporating polypyrrole-coated silica nanoparticles (PPy@SiO₂) and phenylmethyl silicone oil (PMSO) was developed for energy-efficient de-icing in larger scale in subzero conditions. Optimizing component ratios (30 wt% PPy@SiO₂, 30 vol% PMSO) yielded a coating with ultralow ice adhesion (25 kPa) and interfacial toughness (0.19 J/m 2 ), achieving 68 % and 74 % reductions in de-icing force and ice adhesion compared to pure PDMS. The synergy between PMSO-enhanced chain mobility (42 % modulus reduction) and PPy@SiO₂-induced interfacial stress concentration enabled these improvements, while nanoparticle-induced surface roughness enhanced hydrophobicity (124.6° water contact angle). Under 1 sun illumination, the coating rapidly reached 78 °C (room temperature) and 3 °C (−20 °C ambient) within 5 min, demonstrating sustained frost resistance for 20 min in darkness. With 92 % de-icing efficiency retention after 30 freeze-thaw cycles and 2.1 kW·m −2 photothermal power density, this dual-functional coating combines photothermal ice prevention and low-adhesion ice removal, offering a practical solution for large-scale equipment in polar environments. The design strategy provides insights for developing interfacial-engineered materials with large-scale de-icing capacity under extreme conditions.