Abstract:
To address the challenge of large-scale anti-icing and de-icing on wind turbine blade surfaces, this study proposes a fabrication strategy for low interfacial toughness ice-phobic coatings by blending polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with fluorocarbon resin (FEVE) to construct an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) structure. The effects of coating composition and mass fraction on ice-phobic performance were systematically investigated, optimal compositional parameters were determined, and the ice-phobic performance along with long-term stability of the optimized coating was evaluated. The results indicate that the blending ratio of FEVE to PDMS regulates ice-coating interfacial crack propagation behavior and surface roughness, thereby significantly affecting ice-phobicity. Modification of PDMS further reduced the interfacial toughness of the coating. When the PDMS∶FEVE mass ratio was 2∶1 and the content of external silicone oil was 50wt% relative to PDMS, the coating exhibited optimal performance: a constant de-icing force of 28.98 N/cm, corresponding to an ice adhesion strength of 24.08 kPa, and an interfacial toughness as low as 0.076 J/m
2. Ice accumulation-deicing cycles and outdoor exposure tests demonstrated that the coating possesses excellent mechanical stability and weather resistance. The IPN-based synergistic modification strategy proposed in this study provides a feasible approach for designing ice-phobic coatings that balance low interfacial toughness with high mechanical stability, showing promising application prospects for large-area anti-/de-icing engineering.