Enhancing frost-resistant performance of durable anti-icing slippery surfaces via lubricant modification

Slippery lubricant-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) have shown considerable promise for durable anti-icing applications, particularly when using high-viscosity lubricants. Nevertheless, high-viscosity lubricants tend to accelerate the propagation of fine frost crystals across the SLIPS. Herein, a chemical modification strategy for high-viscosity silicone oil-specifically by incorporating 2 wt% silane-is proposed to enhance its frost resistance. The anti-frosting performance and durability of SLIPS fabricated with the modified silicone oil were systematically evaluated, with comparative analyses performed against SLIPS infused with unmodified lubricants of different viscosities and alternative lubricant types. Results indicate that the lubricant modification retains the excellent liquid-repellent and anti-icing capabilities inherent to SLIPS. More notably, the modified SLIPS demonstrates remarkable anti-frosting performance, outperforming counterparts infused with low-viscosity lubricants—almost no icing was observed after 1.5 h under low-temperature and high-humidity conditions. The modified silicone oil is covered with a large number of non-polar long-chain alkyl groups, which reduces the intermolecular interactions between the slippery surface and water. Furthermore, the modified SLIPS inherit the superior durability of high-viscosity lubricants, exhibiting an ice adhesion strength of merely 12.4 kPa even after 20 icing/deicing cycles. Additionally, the modified silicone oil endows SLIPS with better anti-frosting performance and durability compared to other lubricant types. This study provides valuable theoretical guidance for lubricant selection in the development of high-performance anti-icing SLIPS.