Temperature-Dependent Deicing Properties of ElectrostaticallyAnchored Branched Brush Layers of Poly(ethylene oxide)

• The hydration water of hydrophilic polymersfreezes at subzero temperatures. The adsorption of suchpolymers will result in a hydrophilic surface layer that stronglybinds water. Provided this interfacial hydration water remainsliquidlike at subzero temperatures, its presence could possiblyreduce ice adhesion, in particular, if the liquidlike layer isthicker than or comparable to the surface roughness. Toexplore this idea, a diblock copolymer, having one branchedbottle-brush block of poly(ethylene oxide) and one linear cationic block, was electrostatically anchored on flat silica surfaces. Theshear ice adhesion strength on such polymer-coated surfaces was investigated down to −25 °C using a homebuilt device. Inaddition, the temperature dependence of the ice adhesion on surfaces coated with only the cationic block, only the branchedbottle-brush block, and with linear poly(ethylene oxide) was investigated. Significant ice adhesion reduction, in particular, attemperatures above −15 °C, was observed on silica surfaces coated with the electrostatically anchored diblock copolymer.Differential scanning calorimetry measurements on bulk polymer solutions demonstrate different thermal transitions of waterinteracting with branched and linear poly(ethylene oxide) (with hydration water melting points of about −18 and −10 °C,respectively). This difference is consistent with the low shear ice adhesion strength measured on surfaces carrying branchedbottle-brush structured poly(ethylene oxide) at −10 °C, whereas no significant adhesion reduction was obtained with linearpoly(ethylene oxide) at this temperature. We propose a lubrication effect of the hydration water bound to the branched bottlebrushstructured poly(ethylene oxide), which, in the bulk, does not freeze until −18 °C.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Kemiteknik -- Polymerteknologi (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Chemical Engineering -- Polymer Technologies (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Materialteknik -- Bearbetnings-, yt- och fogningsteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Materials Engineering -- Manufacturing, Surface and Joining Technology (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Polymerkemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Polymer Chemistry (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Fysikalisk kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Physical Chemistry (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Annan kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Other Chemistry Topics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Kemi

Chemistry

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ref (subject category)

art (subject category)