MARINE ICEPHOBIC PAINTS WITH PASSIVE DYNAMIC CHARACTER

THE PROPOSED RESEARCH INVESTIGATES THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING AN INNOVATIVE ICEPHOBIC COATING TYHAT WILL PREVENT THE ACCRETION OF ICE ON ANTENNAS AND COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT VIA THE PHENOMENA OF PASSIVE DYNAMICS. THE UNDERLYING CONCEPT IS TO INCORPORATE SPECIAL MATERIALS INTO EXISTING ICEPHOBIC COATING FORMULATIONS WHICH, ALTHOUGH PASSIVE UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, BECOME DYNAMIC WHEN ICE FORMING CONDITIONS PREVAIL. THIS DYNAMISM WILL PREVENT WATER MOLECULES FROM NUCLEATING AT SPECIFIC SITES, AN ACTION THAT IS REQUIRED FOR ICE TO FORM. THE SUCCESS OF THE RESEARCH PROGRAM WILL RESULT IN A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD IN THE STATE OF THE ART OF SUPPRESSING ICE ACCRETION UPON VARIETY OF DIFFERENT SURFACES, ESPECIALLY ANTENNAS AND COMMUNICATION GEAR WHERE ICE BUILDUP CAN CAUSE SEVERE ATTENTUATION AND LOSS IN PERFORMANCE.