A fluoride-free dual-functional coating based on natural molybdenite for efficient anti-icing and deicing

Natural molybdenite enables a eco-friendly superhydrophobic photothermal coating. • Phase-regulated 1T/2H-MoS 2 heterostructure enables highly efficient photothermal conversion. • The coating exhibits outstanding icephobicity, delaying ice formation for over 16 h at −15 °C. • The coating melts a 4-mm ice layer at −20 °C in 100 s, with near-complete evaporation within 180 s. • The coating withstands corrosion, extreme pH, and abrasion, showing high real-world applicability. In cold environments, ice accumulation poses infrastructure challenges, highlighting the need for advanced anti-icing and deicing technologies. Here, a photothermal superhydrophobic coating with hierarchical micro/nano structure was fabricated from natural molybdenite. Using (3–aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) as an intercalator, a mixed–phase MoS 2 heterostructure (M2–MoS 2 , 1T/2H) was obtained. Subsequent functionalization with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and epoxy resin (EP) yielded a robust bilayer coating, designated M2–MoS 2 @PDMS–EP/PDMS. The resulting coating exhibits excellent superhydrophobicity, with a water contact angle (WCA) of 150.8° and a sliding angle (SA) of 7.5°. At −15 ± 1 °C, it delays ice formation for 57,829 s, significantly outperforming conventional counterparts. Owing to broad-spectrum solar absorption and efficient photothermal conversion, the coating rapidly reaches 85.0 °C under 100 mW/cm 2 irradiation at a 0° tilt, while maintaining performance across various inclination angles. It also demonstrates rapid deicing capability, melting a 4  mm-thick ice layer at −20 ± 2 °C within 276 s under 100 mW/cm 2 illumination. Furthermore, the coating exhibits outstanding durability, retaining hydrophobic properties after exposure to saline, acidic, and alkaline environments, as well as ultrasonic vibration and mechanical wear tests. This study provides a cost-effective and sustainable strategy for designing high-performance anti-icing coatings based on natural mineral resources. Download: Download high-res image (176KB) Download: Download full-size image