Functional composite materials for anti-icing application

In aviation and many engineering fields, icing causes negative problems both economically and in terms of safety. Various precautions and methods are applied to prevent these negative conditions and many innovative approaches are created and developed every day. In aviation, icing prevention and removal methods, which are called flight safety, are sometimes not sufficient and require new applications. In new approaches, some studies are being carried out with composite materials created for de-icing and anti-icing applications in intense icing conditions in terms of flight safety as well as low cost and easy applicability. Electrothermal applications are at the forefront of icing prevention and removal methods. In this approach, it is aimed to prevent ice formation on surfaces heated with electricity (anti-icing) or to remove ice layers on the surface by heating the surface after icing (de-icing). The use of traditional heating materials in existing electrothermal systems restricts the widespread use of these materials due to their limited flexibility and high power consumption disadvantages. More efficient electrothermal heating systems have recently been tried to be developed using innovative materials. In this case, the electrothermal properties of silver nanowire-based composites were investigated. Silver nanowires produced by polyol method were coated on substrates such as glass, PET and PC by spray coating method after purification. After coating, the surfaces of silver nanowires were coated with epoxy or heat resistant acrylic based spray paint to obtain composite heaters. In the optoelectronic measurements performed after production, it was observed that silver nanowire based composites had low resistance and high transparency. In the electrothermal measurements made on the composite, properties such as temperature distribution and heating behavior were examined. Finally, in the ice formation and ice removal tests performed on the surface, it was observed that silver nanowire/PC composites coated with heat resistant acrylic paint exhibited hydrophobic surface properties and rapid ice removal behavior under the applied voltage.