Long-lasting photothermal superhydrophobic coating based on in-situ grown MWCNTs@ZIF-8: Synergistic mechanical robustness and efficient anti-/de-icing performance

A robust photothermal superhydrophobic coating was prepared via in-situ growth of ZIF-8. • Exceptional anti-icing shows 3.95 times freezing delay and 68.05% lower ice adhesion. • High photothermal efficiency of 76.56% enables rapid active ice melting and shedding. • Chemical bonding ensures durable performance after severe abrasion. In low-temperature and high-humidity environments, the accumulation of surface ice layers poses a serious safety threat to fields such as aerospace, power transmission, and transportation. However, traditional superhydrophobic coatings commonly suffer from poor mechanical robustness and functional failure under complex mechanical service conditions. In this work, Metal–organic frameworks (ZIF-8) were successfully grown in-situ on carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-COOH), constructing a novel photothermal superhydrophobic composite coating with a multilevel micro-nanostructure. With the synergistic effect of an E51/PDMS resin matrix and subsequent modification by a low-surface-energy fluorosilane (PFTS), the coating achieves excellent superhydrophobicity and outstanding mechanical robustness. Anti-/de-icing tests demonstrate that at −20 ℃, the icing time is delayed by 3.95 times and the ice adhesion strength is reduced to 123.66 kPa. Benefiting from a high light absorption of 97.81% and a photothermal conversion efficiency of 76.56%, the coating enables rapid active melting of accumulated ice under simulated illumination. This integrated strategy—combining tough interfacial design, long-term passive anti-icing, and efficient active de-icing—provides an effective and stable solution for long-lasting ice protection of infrastructure. Download: Download high-res image (180KB) Download: Download full-size image