Study on the Preparation and Performance of Anti-Ice Hydrogels for Low-Temperature Environments

Yunhui Tian; Wei Sheng; Wenhao Li; Huazheng Guo

doi:10.54691/n7qzwq60

Authors

Yunhui Tian
Wei Sheng
Wenhao Li
Huazheng Guo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54691/n7qzwq60

Keywords:

Hydrogel, Anti-icing, Low-temperature.

Abstract

Icing presents significant risks to transportation, infrastructure, and the safety of equipment, while surfaces designed to prevent ice formation, such as superhydrophobic coatings, often fail in low-temperature environments. In this study, three-dimensional crosslinked κ-carrageenan hydrogels were separately impregnated with ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and glycerol, resulting in the formation of ethylene glycol–impregnated κ-carrageenan hydrogel (EGIκCH), propylene glycol–impregnated κ-carrageenan hydrogel (PGIκCH), and glycerol-impregnated κ-carrageenan hydrogel (GLIκCH). Among these, the EGIκCH surface exhibited outstanding anti-icing performance. The freezing delay time of water droplets on the surface of each hydrogel were measured using a contact angle goniometer. The results revealed that all three hydrogels demonstrated significantly longer freezing delay time than glass and aluminum surfaces. At -30°C, the freezing delay time of the EGIκCH surface reached up to 1269 s, markedly exceeding that of the other two types. This study provides a new idea for the preparation of anti-icing materials for low-temperature applications.

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