Study on the Anti-Icing and De-Icing Performance of a New Superhydrophobic Coating PTFE/SiO2-ER/FR Composite

HighlightsPTFE/SiO2–ER/FR superhydrophobic coatings for anti-icing and de-icing of insulators were designed.The micro/nanoscale hierarchical structure imparts good superhydrophobicity to PTFE/SiO2–ER/FR.PTFE/SiO2–ER/FR superhydrophobic coatings achieve good durability against UV irradiation or freeze–thaw cycling.PTFE/SiO2–ER/FR superhydrophobic coatings possess good anti-icing and de-icing performance under natural icing conditions.This work describes the preparation of PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene)/SiO2(silicon dioxide)–ER (epoxy resin)/FR (fluorosilicone resin) superhydrophobic coatings using the spray method to improve the anti-icing and de-icing performance of transmission line insulators. The coatings exhibit a consistent fluorine distribution (32.86 wt%), which enhances their low surface energy, alongside SiO2nanoparticles that occupy the interstices between PTFE particles, resulting in a dense micro- and nanoscale hierarchical structure. Consequently, the coatings have good superhydrophobicity, featuring a contact angle of 173.9° and roll angle of 1.2°. Following 66 days of UV irradiation, the contact angle remains above 150°, and the roll angle is approximately 15°, accompanied by a slight increase in ice adhesion strength. Following 26 freeze–thaw cycles, the contact angle stabilizes at around 157°, showing good environmental durability. Natural icing studies validate the coatings’ good anti-icing and de-icing efficacy: in comparison to common insulators, the coated insulators demonstrate a 14.2% reduction in ice accretion weight and a 67.7% reduction in maximum ice ridge length.