TAN Guo-huang,WU Xing-hua,XIAO Ming-hao,PAN Yu-tong,JIE Xiao-hua.The Anti-condensation, Anti-icing Performance of Superhydrophobic and SLIPS TC4 Titanium Alloy Surfaces[J],52(12):419-427, 448
The Anti-condensation, Anti-icing Performance of Superhydrophobic and SLIPS TC4 Titanium Alloy Surfaces
Received:November 25, 2022  Revised:March 13, 2023
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DOI:10.16490/j.cnki.issn.1001-3660.2023.12.036
KeyWord:TC4 titanium alloy  anodizing  superhydrophobicity  SLIPS  anti-condensation  anti-icing
              
AuthorInstitution
TAN Guo-huang Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou , China
WU Xing-hua Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou , China
XIAO Ming-hao Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou , China
PAN Yu-tong Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou , China
JIE Xiao-hua Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou , China
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Abstract:
      To improve the anti-condensation and anti-icing properties of TC4 titanium alloy and to broaden its practical application in aero-space, ships, medical devices, petroleum platforms etc., microstructures with different surface roughness were fabricated on the surface of TC4 by anodic oxidation. Synaptic hair-like microstructures and regular array of nanotubular structures were prepared on the surface of TC4 samples at a constant voltage of 10 V and 20 V with HF solution as the electrolyte, respectively. After fluoridation and liquid infusion of the anodized TC4 surfaces, superhydrophobic surfaces and SLIPS were obtained. The anti-condensation and anti-icing behaviors of the superhydrophobic surfaces and SLIPS were compared and analyzed, mechanism behind were also discussed. The surface morphology and roughness of the two coatings were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, respectively. After anodic oxidation at different voltage, regular arrays of triangular synaptic hair-like structure and titanium nanotube structures were obtained, respectively. After fluoridation, the hair-like structure surface displayed contact angles larger of 144° and rolling angle of 60°, while the nanotube structure surface presented superhydrophobicity with contact angle larger than 150° and roll-off angle less than 10°. To obtain SLIPS, the above fluorinated surfaces were infused with silicon oil under low pressure. The obtained surfaces present decreased water contact angles with sliding angles less than 10°. To investigate the condensation behaviors of the superhydrophobic surface and SLIPS, the samples were placed in a climate chamber. The temperature of the coating surfaces was set as 4 ℃. The environmental temperature of 25 ℃ and relative humidity of 60% were selected. The condensation performance of the different coatings was compared at subcooled temperature of 12.7 ℃. During the cooling process, molecules of water vapor nucleate and grow to form tiny liquid droplets on the sample surfaces. After 30 min of cooling, these droplets grow to a certain size with an irregular shape on the polished TC4 surface. Condensates maintained their spherical shape on superhydrophobic surfaces during cooling process and presented significantly suppressed growth compared than those formed SLIPS. At the same time, jumping and sweeping of condensed droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces helped refresh of the surface area and increase nucleation barrier. The superhydrophobic surface displayed superior anti-condensation performance to SLIPS. The anti-icing performance were carried out in the climate chamber with temperature of ‒20 ℃. The icing delay time and ice adhesion strength were characterized. Compared to superhydrophobic surfaces, the droplet on SILIPS demonstrated icing delay time of 15 s. The reason lies in two aspects, firstly, the decreased water contact angle of superhydrophobic surfaces at low temperature; secondly, the infused silicon oil in SLIPS serves as the heat insulation layers between water droplets and micro-nanostructured surfaces. The ice adhesion strength of the superhydrophobic surface and SLIPS were 13.2 kPa and 8.8 kPa, respectively. The relative high ice adhesion strength of superhydrophobic surface is due to failure of the air-trapping sites under low temperature. To sum up, superhydrophobic surfaces effectively suppress the nucleation and growth of condensates, and SLIPS displayed the longest icing delay time and the lowest ice adhesion strength are more promising in anti-icing applications.
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