All-weather superhydrophobic self-cleaning anti-icing coating mimicking the microstructure of monarch butterfly wing scales

Abstract

This invention discloses an all-weather superhydrophobic, anti-icing, and self-cleaning coating with a biomimetic Monarch butterfly wing scale microstructure, belonging to the field of protective coating technology. This invention mimics the natural multi-level micro-nano composite structure of Monarch butterfly wing scales, constructing a gradient coating structure composed of an outer layer of micro-protrusion arrays and an inner layer of nano-grooves. It achieves superhydrophobic performance with a contact angle greater than 150° through the air trapping effect, while simultaneously utilizing the microstructure to disrupt ice crystal nucleation and growth conditions, achieving anti-icing effects in low-temperature environments. Combined with the self-rolling characteristics of water droplets, it achieves surface self-cleaning. This invention solves the technical problems of traditional protective coatings having limited hydrophobic properties, susceptibility to low-temperature icing, and high cleaning and maintenance difficulties. It possesses the triple core advantages of superhydrophobicity, anti-icing, and self-cleaning, applicable to extreme conditions such as outdoor power equipment, wind turbine blades, and transportation facilities. The structure is simple to fabricate, exhibits stable and durable performance, meets the innovation and practicality standards of high-value biomimetic structure patents, and can achieve all-weather long-term protection, significantly reducing equipment maintenance costs.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to the field of biomimetic functional coating technology, specifically to an all-weather superhydrophobic anti-icing self-cleaning coating with a biomimetic monarch butterfly wing scale microstructure, which is particularly suitable for equipment protection scenarios such as outdoor high-voltage power equipment, wind turbine blades, external components of rail transit, and outdoor precision instruments that need to be exposed to low temperature, humid, and dusty environments for a long time. Background Technology

[0002] In extreme outdoor applications, protective coatings must simultaneously address multiple challenges, including condensation, low-temperature icing, and dust adhesion. Existing protective coatings generally suffer from limitations such as limited performance and poor adaptability. On one hand, traditional hydrophobic coatings only possess basic hydrophobicity, with a simple microstructure and poor stability. Their hydrophobic effect rapidly diminishes after prolonged use, failing to achieve long-term self-cleaning. On the other hand, conventional anti-icing coatings often rely on chemical additives or heating components, which are not only costly and environmentally unfriendly but also fail to prevent icing in ultra-low temperature environments, making them incompatible with hydrophobic and self-cleaning properties. Furthermore, existing coating structures are mostly conventional planar or single-protrusion designs, failing to draw inspiration from the efficient protective structures of organisms in extreme environments. This lack of structural innovation hinders the achievement of integrated protection across all weather conditions and scenarios, resulting in high maintenance frequency, short lifespan, and high operating costs for outdoor equipment, thus failing to meet the industrial sector's demand for multifunctional, long-lasting protective coatings. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the shortcomings of existing protective coatings, such as limited performance, poor hydrophobic and anti-icing effects, inability to achieve all-weather self-cleaning, high manufacturing costs, and limited applicability, this invention provides an all-weather superhydrophobic anti-icing and self-cleaning coating with a biomimetic Monarch butterfly wing scale microstructure. By mimicking the multi-level micro-nano composite structure of Monarch butterfly wing scales in nature, it achieves a triple integration of superhydrophobicity, anti-icing, and self-cleaning properties, solving the core defects of existing technologies and improving the coating's long-term protective capability and adaptability to various scenarios. Technical solution

[0004] This invention uses the scales of the monarch butterfly wing as a biomimetic prototype to construct a gradient composite coating structure consisting of an outer layer of micron-level protrusions and an inner layer of nanon-level grooves. The coating is made of a wear-resistant polymer substrate material. The outer layer has uniformly arranged, regular micron-level trapezoidal protrusions, and the surface of the protrusions is etched with staggered nanon-level grooves, forming a stable air trapping layer between the protrusions and grooves. The coating surface is treated with low surface energy modification, and the overall thickness is controlled between 50-200 μm. The spacing between the micro-protrusions and the depth of the grooves are proportionally matched to maximize the structural stability and functional adaptability.

[0005] Its core working principle is as follows: by trapping air through a multi-level micro-nano structure, a gas-liquid isolation layer is formed, achieving superhydrophobic properties with a contact angle >150° and a roll-off angle <10°, water droplets cannot adhere and can roll off autonomously; the microstructure destroys ice crystal nucleation sites, inhibiting ice crystal growth and adhesion, achieving long-term anti-icing in ultra-low temperature environments of -20℃; during the rolling off of water droplets, surface dust and impurities are carried away, and self-cleaning is completed without human intervention, and the structure is wear-resistant and anti-aging, and its performance does not degrade with long-term use. Beneficial effects

[0006] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has significant and outstanding advantages: First, it integrates multiple functions, breaking through the limitations of traditional coatings with only one function, and simultaneously achieving three core functions: superhydrophobicity, anti-icing and self-cleaning, making it suitable for complex outdoor environments in all weather conditions. Secondly, it has a high degree of structural innovation. The biomimetic multi-level micro-nano structure of the scales on the wings of the Monarch butterfly, a creature living in extreme environments, is a structural biomimetic innovation with strong creativity, meeting the criteria for high-value patents. Third, it has long-lasting and stable performance, achieves its function through a purely physical structure, has no chemical additives that cause loss, is wear-resistant and anti-aging, and its protective life is more than 3 times longer than that of traditional coatings. Fourth, it has a wide range of applications and can be adapted to various extreme working conditions such as low temperature, humidity, and dust. The preparation process is simple, no complex equipment is required, the cost is controllable, and the industrialization value is extremely high. Fifth, the maintenance cost is extremely low. Relying on its self-cleaning performance, it does not require regular manual cleaning or de-icing, which greatly reduces the operation and maintenance cost and maintenance difficulty of outdoor equipment.

Claims

1. A biomimetic Monarch butterfly wing scale microstructure all-weather superhydrophobic anti-icing self-cleaning coating, characterized in that, Inspired by the scales of the monarch butterfly wing, the material includes a wear-resistant polymer substrate. The substrate surface is decorated with an outer layer of micron-level trapezoidal protrusions, and the protrusions are etched with an inner layer of nano-level interlaced grooves, forming a gradient multi-level micro-nano composite structure.

2. The coating according to claim 1, characterized in that, The coating surface is modified with low surface energy, and the overall thickness is 50-200μm. The micron-level protrusion spacing and the nano-level groove depth are proportionally matched.

3. The coating according to claim 1, characterized in that, The micro-nano composite structure can trap air to form a gas-liquid isolation layer, achieving superhydrophobic properties with a contact angle >150° and a roll-off angle <10°.

4. The coating according to claim 1, characterized in that, By disrupting ice crystal nucleation sites through microstructure, long-lasting passive anti-icing can be achieved in low-temperature environments of -20℃.

5. The coating according to claim 1, characterized in that, It relies on water droplets rolling down autonomously to carry away impurities, achieving all-weather self-cleaning without human intervention.

6. The coating according to claim 1, characterized in that, Suitable for long-term protection of outdoor power equipment, wind turbine blades, rail transit components, and precision instruments.