Micrometric array integrated with slippery liquid-infused porous surface for improved anti-icing durability

Recently, slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) have attracted extensive attention due to their excellent anti-icing performance. However, the unsatisfactory durability resulting from the loss of lubricant hinders its practical application. Here, a micro/nanointegrated lubricant-infused surface combining microcone hole array and TiO₂ porous nanostructure (P-SLIPS) was fabricated, where its inverted pyramid-shaped microgroove can protect the nanoporous structure from being damaged. Experimental results show that with the aid of microcone hole array, the sanding repelling properties of P-SLIPS have dramatically improved with the significantly decreased ice adhesion strength after 7 sanding cycles. In the process of droplet scouring and dynamic icing, the icing phenomenon in P-SLIPS did not occur even after 10 sanding cycles, while this value is 3 sanding cycles in SLIPS. All of these could be attributed to the introduction of microcone array structure, which makes the coating not be completely damaged during the icing/deicing and sanding polishing processes. Thus, the anti-icing durability of the P-SLIPS can be greatly improved.