Laser etching–electrodeposition synergistically constructed Al-Myristate@CNTs superhydrophobic photothermal anti-icing coating

To address the issues of insufficient structural stability, poor durability and performance degradation in conventional photothermal anti-icing coatings, a laser etching–electrodeposition synergistic strategy was proposed to fabricate an Al-Myristate@CNTs superhydrophobic photothermal anti-icing coating. First, microporous array structures were constructed on the aluminum substrate surface via laser etching to enhance interfacial mechanical interlocking and provide stable structural support. Subsequently, carbon nanotubes were uniformly incorporated into the micro/nano hierarchical structures through electrochemical deposition, enabling synergistic enhancement of surface wettability, photothermal performance and structural stability. The effects of hydrochloric acid etching conditions, laser scanning speed and carbon nanotubes content on the surface morphology, wettability and multifunctional performance of the coating were systematically investigated. The results demonstrated that the optimized coating exhibited excellent comprehensive performance, with a water contact angle of 157.6° and an abrasion resistance distance of up to 1000 cm, indicating outstanding superhydrophobic stability and mechanical durability. Under 1 sun irradiation, the surface temperature of the coating rapidly increased to 51.6 °C, demonstrating its efficient photothermal conversion capability. Moreover, in a −15 °C environment, the coating achieved an icing delay time of 438 s and reduced the deicing time to 352 s, indicating remarkable anti-icing and photothermal deicing performance. Mechanistic analysis revealed that the incorporation of an appropriate amount of carbon nanotubes facilitated the formation of a uniform and stable hierarchical micro/nanostructure, which enhanced air-pocket stability, solar absorption, and structural integrity, thereby synergistically improving the superhydrophobicity, photothermal performance and long-term durability of the coating. This work provides a novel strategy for the design and fabrication of highly stable multifunctional photothermal anti-icing coatings and offers important guidance for their potential applications in aerospace, energy infrastructure, and transportation systems. Download: Download high-res image (164KB) Download: Download full-size image