Photothermal superhydrophobic and corrosion resistant titania microstructured surface for ice prevention and removal.

Abstract

Ice accretion severely compromises titanium alloy components in maritime environments. Conventional anti-icing coatings provide passive protection but often fail at the metal-coating interface under thermal and mechanical stresses, highlighting the need for in-situ engineered icephobic surfaces. Herein, we report an in-situ fabricated titanium surface integrating superhydrophobicity, photothermal conversion, and corrosion resistance through electrochemical treatment and vacuum annealing. The hierarchical micro-nano architecture with three-dimensional nanotubes establishes a robust superhydrophobic state. The reduced bandgap of titanium oxide enhances light absorption and thermal confinement, enabling rapid heating to 86 °C under 1 sun illumination. A stable oxide layer ensures excellent corrosion resistance after 120 h immersion in NaCl solution. Owing to these synergistic features, the surface demonstrates outstanding anti-icing and de-icing performance for pure and saline water, including outdoor conditions, achieving ice sliding within 235 s under 0.3 sun illumination. The surface retains superhydrophobicity after prolonged UV exposure, chemical corrosion, and mechanical abrasion, and exhibits anti-biofouling capability after 72 h immersion. This work provides a durable multifunctional strategy for mitigating ice formation on titanium components in complex environments.