Robust, Microstructured, Ice-Phobic Anti-Icing Coating for Ship Structures

Naval vessels which regularly encounter sub-freezing environments experience superstructure ice accumulation which has negative effects on seaworthiness, deck safety, and ship system performance. In order to mitigate risks to mission success, this ice is currently removed with tools and de-icing solvents through a hazardous manual process with risk of damaging ship components. Ideally, these de-icing challenges would be overcome with a passive ice protection technology that does not require personnel on deck and maintains high performance of ship systems at sub-zero conditions. Technologies based on superhydrophobic surfaces delay drop freezing allowing them to roll off of surfaces before freezing, however, they are readily defeated by frost, snow, and high winds driving drops into the surface, making an additional ice-phobic capability necessary. Researchers at Luna Innovations, in collaboration with engineering professors Cohen and McKinley at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), have identified a microstructured surface treatment compatible with ship coatings that can provide an unparalleled barrier to ice adhesion. The proposed spray-ready coating formulation is robust, practical and has tunable properties to include transparency and easy-cleaning capabilities.