Dai, Yu;
Jin, Jingfu;
Wang, Jiaxu;
Wen, Xiuhua;
Xu, Jin;
Chen, Tingkun;
Wang, Mingqing;
(2025)
A self-sustaining ice detection strategy via interfacial micromechanics.
Applied Thermal Engineering
, 280
(Part 2)
, Article 128241. 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2025.128241.
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Abstract
The icing sensor, which determines the operation timing of the anti/de-icing system, is one of the core components of the anti/de-icing system. However, due to the complex structure and high cost of the existing icing sensors, their application in conventional engineering fields is limited. Water expands during freezing, while most substrates contract in low-temperature environments, leading to directional strain at the ice-substrate interface. Based on this principle, a novel method to detect ice formation by monitoring micromechanical changes at the adhesive interface under freezing conditions was proposed. A photothermal superhydrophobic coating was selectively applied to the substrate surface, enabling ice detection when ice accumulation occurred only in the uncoated region. The coating exhibited distinct wetting properties, with a contact angle of 162° and a rolling angle of 3.5°. Strain measurements revealed that the photothermal coating both delayed and reduced the development of interfacial strain compared to a bare aluminum surface. As the substrate surface temperature decreased from −5 °C to −20 °C, the interface strains formed during the freezing process of water adhering to the coating surface were 35, 50, 129, and 202 microstrains, respectively. Furthermore, the coating demonstrated photothermal capabilities that enabled the melting of accumulated ice in 416.8 s, thereby maintaining the reliability of ice detection. Durability tests, including grid-cut and water impact tests, confirmed the mechanical stability of the coating, which retained a contact angle above 150° after testing. This work presents a simple, low-cost, and reliable method for ice detection and contributes to the advancement of next-generation ice sensing technologies for engineering applications.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | A self-sustaining ice detection strategy via interfacial micromechanics |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2025.128241 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2025.1282... |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | Freezing detection; Adhesion surface; Interface mechanics; Discontinuous surface characteristics; Coating |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > MAPS Faculty Office UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > MAPS Faculty Office > Institute for Materials Discovery |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10213521 |
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