Studies on de-icing and anti-icing of carbon fiber-reinforced composites for aircraft surfaces using commercial multifun
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Studies on de-icing and anti-icing of carbon fiberreinforced composites for aircraft surfaces using commercial multifunctional permanent superhydrophobic coatings A. Khadak1, B. Subeshan1, and R. Asmatulu1,* 1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260, USA
Received: 6 August 2020
ABSTRACT
Accepted: 11 October 2020
The accumulation of ice on structures can restrict the performance of equipment and cause other concerns in many industries such as aviation, automotive transportation, telecommunication, and defense. The removal of ice requires the use of some chemicals and various other techniques, which are expensive, timeconsuming, and unsafe. Superhydrophobic (SH) coatings have been involved in many commercial applications because they have the crucial attribute of high water repellency, which can be critical for the removal of formed ice. This study experimentally proved how a carbon fiber-reinforced (CFR) composite surface can be prepared so that ice that forms on the surface can be easily removed without applying any other techniques. A simple spraying method was implemented to prepare a robust SH coating containing micro- and nanoparticles on unidirectional pre-impregnated (pre-preg) CFR composites that were prepared in a vacuum oven. The bottom (base) coat and top coat (superhydrophobic) were subsequently introduced to the surfaces of CFR composites, followed by heat treatment under a vacuum. The SH-coated CFR composites were analyzed through water contact angle (WCA) measurements. These measurements were also repeated after each tape adhesion test, vibration test, and blowing air test. The SH-coated CFR composites were exposed to a freezing time test and super-cooled water test, and then examined through an optical microscope. The SH-coated CFR composite had a maximum WCA of 163°. The coating tests on the SH-coated CFR composites showed that the WCA of the SHcoated CFR composite was steady and long-lasting after each test, which was considered as a permanent superhydrophobic surface. Thus, the de-icing and anti-icing properties of the SH-coated CFR composite were achieved, which is
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Springer Science+Business
Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2020
Handling Editor: Chris Cornelius.
Address correspondence to E-mail: [email protected]
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-020-05459-9
J Mater Sci
an important factor for a longer service time of composites used in aerospace, wind turbines, and other industries.
Introduction Icing on surfaces Throughout the winter season, aircraft on the ground are affected by cold weather situations (freezing rain, frost, and snow), which detrimentally influence their effectiveness and cause dangerous circumstances [1, 2]. Ice deposits on several aircraft surfaces create a set of other problems, such as disturbance in aerodynamics and avionics, and possible damage to exterior components [3]. Also, icing can lead to a range of undesirable circumstances, including emergency landings, flight delays, more signi
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