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Nanoflower microcapsules power anti-/deicing coatings
A newly developed photothermal superhydrophobic coating combines nanoflower-like double-shell phase-change microcapsules with a low-surface-energy fluorosilane matrix. Under simulated icing conditions, the coating enables rapid deicing within 44 seconds while maintaining excellent superhydrophobic and mechanical performance.
Photothermal superhydrophobic surfaces offer significant advantages for anti-icing and deicing applications, but their practical use is often constrained by the low energy density and intermittent nature of solar radiation. To overcome this challenge, Xu and colleagues developed n-eicosane@Cu₂O@Cu₂₋ₓS phase-change microcapsules (MPCM) featuring a three-dimensional nanoflower architecture, prepared via microencapsulation. The Cu₂₋ₓS shell provides a narrow bandgap of 0.83 eV and enhances light harvesting through multiple scattering, light localisation and tunable localised surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), enabling efficient full-spectrum photothermal conversion.
The hierarchical microstructure and plasmonic absorption of the double-shell MPCM synergistically promote both thermal energy storage and controlled release, addressing the key limitation of intermittent solar input. These functional microcapsules were then integrated into a long-chain perfluorosilane co-hydrolysis-condensation system to produce a photothermal superhydrophobic composite coating with a uniform micro-convex morphology and low surface energy.
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Superhydrophobicity, durability and rapid deicing
The resulting coatings achieved a water contact angle of 165.7° and a sliding angle of only 3.8°, confirming excellent superhydrophobic behaviour. Importantly, the coating retained its superhydrophobicity and demonstrated strong mechanical stability after water flow impact, tape peeling and freeze-thaw cycling tests, underlining its suitability for demanding outdoor conditions.
Under simulated icing conditions of –10 °C and an irradiation intensity of 100 mW cm⁻², the coating extended the droplet freezing time by a factor of approximately 10.3 compared with a blank reference coating. After only 44 seconds of irradiation, water droplets slid off the surface spontaneously, demonstrating rapid photothermal deicing capability. Overall, the combination of nanoflower-structured phase-change microcapsules with a superhydrophobic composite matrix provides a promising strategy for the design of high-efficiency anti- and deicing functional surfaces, with potential applications in aerospace, wind energy, power transmission and outdoor infrastructure.
Source: Xu, J. et al., Nanoflower double-shell phase-change microcapsules for photothermal superhydrophobic anti-/deicing coatings. Progress in Organic Coatings, 110249 (2026).
