A study on the functionalisation of transparent anti-icing surface: A new approach

Abstract

In this study, the author presented a novel approach to manufacture a transparent anti-icing surface through Deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) method on the glass substrate. Tested anti-icing parameters include: adhesive strength and freezing time on samples with different wettability, including as-received (untreated), superhydrophilic, hydrophilic, non-hydrophobic, and superhydrophobic. The results demonstrated the outstanding performance given by the superhydrophobic surface compared to the other samples, confirming the superiority of the non-wetting phenomenon and the the important role of the surface treatment. In addition, by introducing a uniformed truncated structure that mimics the moth’s eye structure, the fabricated surface illustrated a significantly higher transmittance in the visible region compared to the as-received sample. This new study proposes a fast and highly applicable fabrication method for functional surfaces operating in harsh environments and outdoor optical applications.