Opportunity
Ice accumulation on glass surfaces presents significant safety, operational, and economic challenges across multiple industries. In transportation, ice on vehicle windshields and aircraft windows severely impairs visibility and can lead to accidents or instrument failure. In buildings, ice-covered windows compromise thermal insulation and energy efficiency. Conventional deicing methods are fraught with limitations. Mechanical scraping is labor-intensive and ineffective against thick ice. Chemical deicers, such as chloride-based solutions, pose environmental contamination risks and can corrode glass surfaces. Electrically heated systems, while common, often suffer from uneven heat distribution, create inconsistent thermal stresses on glass, and rely on external power, increasing energy consumption and operational complexity. Passive anti-icing coatings, like superhydrophobic or icephobic surfaces, struggle with durability under freeze-thaw cycles and often fail under conditions of rapid condensation and low temperatures. There is a clear, unmet need for an efficient, durable, and environmentally friendly deicing solution that can actively generate heat using a clean, passive energy source, such as sunlight, to prevent or remove ice formation without external power input or environmental harm.Technology
The patent discloses an innovative transparent photothermal composition designed for active deicing. The core innovation is the incorporation of nonstoichiometric copper sulfide (Cu_{2-x}S, where 0<x≤1) nanoparticles, specifically engineered as nanorods with an aspect ratio of 2.2, into an acrylic resin matrix. These nanoparticles exhibit a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect, enabling them to absorb over 95% of near-infrared (NIR) light in the 800-1100 nm wavelength range—a significant portion of solar energy. When this transparent coating is applied to a substrate like glass and exposed to NIR light (e.g., from sunlight or a laser), the Cu_{2-x}S nanorods efficiently convert the light energy into heat. The composition is produced via a scalable aqueous synthesis method involving the reaction of copper chloride and polyethylenimine with sodium sulfide, followed by purification and mixing with acrylic resin at a 1:9 weight ratio. The applied coating cures at room temperature to form a transparent photothermal composite. Under NIR irradiation, this composite can rapidly increase in temperature from ambient conditions to over 50°C within 20 seconds and reach a stable plateau of 65°C within 5-6 minutes, providing sufficient heat to melt ice without any additional power supply.
Advantages
- High Efficiency & Speed: Achieves rapid temperature rise (to over 50°C in 20 seconds) and a plateau of 65°C within 5-6 minutes under NIR light.
- Passive & Sustainable Operation: Utilizes clean solar energy (NIR component) for heating, eliminating the need for external electrical power or chemical agents.
- Excellent Optical Properties: Maintains high transparency in the visible light spectrum (~62.4% transmittance) while absorbing over 95% of NIR light, ensuring clarity for applications like windows.
- Effective Active Deicing: Demonstrates successful ice melting at temperatures as low as -20°C, with ice melting observed within approximately 4 minutes of irradiation.
- Durable and Scalable Fabrication: The coating is integrated into a robust acrylic resin matrix, protecting the nanoparticles. The synthesis and application methods (e.g., brushing) are straightforward and suitable for large-scale production.
- Environmental Friendliness: Avoids the use of corrosive chemicals or energy-intensive heating systems, reducing environmental impact.
Applications
- Automotive Industry: As a transparent, photothermal coating for windshields, side windows, and mirrors to prevent or remove ice and frost.
- Aerospace: For application on aircraft windows and cockpit canopies to mitigate icing hazards that affect visibility and sensor accuracy.
- Construction and Architecture: As a coating for building windows and glass facades in cold climates to prevent ice accumulation, improve energy efficiency, and reduce maintenance.
- Renewable Energy: Potential use on solar panel surfaces to prevent snow and ice buildup, maintaining energy generation efficiency in winter.
- Consumer Electronics: Possible application on displays or external sensors that require ice-free operation in outdoor environments.
