Multifunctional superhydrophobic TiB2@Ag composite-based fabric with broadband solar absorption for efficient anti-icing and photothermal de-icing

Plasmonic TiB₂@Ag composite dip-coated fabric enables multifunctional smart textiles. • Hierarchical micro-nano asperities impart superhydrophobicity (WCA > 160°) with broad solar absorption. • Rapid photothermal de-icing at −20 °C within 83 s and prolonged freezing delay (∼612 s). • Surface temperature reaches ∼79 °C under 1 sun with ∼72% de-icing efficiency. • Durable, breathable fabric exhibits ≥90% bacterial anti-adhesion with good biocompatibility. Developing ice-resistant, multifunctional fabrics for cold, humid environments remains challenging, particularly in achieving high photothermal efficiency, superhydrophobicity, bacterial anti-adhesion, and mechanical durability without compromising breathability and flexibility. Herein, we report a titanium diboride @ silver (TiB 2 @Ag) composite coating deposited on a nonwoven fabric via a simple dip-coating approach for photothermally driven anti-icing and de-icing performances at low temperatures. The resulting coating surface exhibits hierarchical micro-nanostructured asperities, formed by TiB 2 nanosheets decorated with Ag nanoparticles within a hydrophobic polymer matrix, imparting an excellent anti-wetting surface (water contact angle >160°). The incorporation of plasmonic Ag nanoparticles, combined with strong broadband solar absorption (>90% across 300–2500 nm), synergistically enhances the photothermal conversion performance. Therefore, the functional fabrics show a substantial freezing delay (∼612 s) and rapid de-icing at −20 °C within 83.2 s, achieving a de-icing efficiency of 72%. Under 1 sun irradiation, the surface temperature rises to ∼79 °C within 600 s. The coating also demonstrates excellent bacterial anti-adhesion ability (≥ 90% reduction against E. coli and S. aureus ) with minimal cytotoxicity (>99% cell viability). Importantly, the coated fabrics retain superhydrophobicity (>155°) after repeated sandpaper abrasion and washing cycles, indicating strong coating durability. This fabric exhibits appreciable mechanical resilience (32 MPa at 20% strain, stable after 300 bending cycles) and chemical stability while maintaining flexibility and air permeability for long-term durability. This work provides an effective strategy for designing durable multifunctional textiles with enhanced photothermal anti-icing/de-icing performance for operation in cold environments. Download: Download high-res image (335KB) Download: Download full-size image