Harvard Engineers Develop 'Ice-Phobic' Coating

The Wall Street Journal reported in the June 22 edition of its Ideas Market blog that Harvard engineers have developed a possible way to repel ice from alumium surfaces exposed to harsh elements.

"Our surfaces remain essentially frost-free in which any conventional materials accumulate ice," the report states. "These results indicate ... a promising candidate for developing robust anti-icing materials for broad applications, such as refrigeration, aviation, roofs, wires, outdoor signs, railings and wind turbines."

Using aircraft deicing as our example, the Journal explains the findings this way:

• A highly porous fabricated surface sits atop the wing. This engineered coating uses nanotechnology to essentially create bumps or fibers.
• Any liquid that doesn't mix with water, such as oil, covers the porous surface.
• The structure of fibers or bumps is what locks the liquid in place.
• The liquid prevents ice from attaching to the wing.

"On the basis of a theoretical analysis followed by extensive icing/deicing experiments ... our surfaces remain essentially frost-free in which any conventional materials accumulate ice," the reports states.

The full report is firewalled, but here's a link to a summary that inlcudes illustrations and video.