A durable superhydrophobic coating for anti-icing applications on asphalt pavement

Effective anti-icing strategies for roadways are critical for ensuring transportation safety. In this study, a durable superhydrophobic coating (SCG) was fabricated for asphalt pavements using multilayer graphene oxide (MGO), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), polyurethane (PU), and poly(3,3,3-trifluoropropylmethylsiloxane) (PF). The SCG exhibits a hierarchical micro/nanostructure and low surface energy, achieving a contact angle of 158.5° and a surface roughness (Sa) of 24.207 µm. Quantitative tests demonstrated superior anti-icing performance: the coating extended the freezing time of water droplets to 247 s (a 772% increase over uncoated asphalt) and reduced ice adhesion strength by 83.3% (from 4.50 kN to 0.75 kN) at –10 °C. Furthermore, durability tests confirmed its mechanical robustness; even after 10 hours (approx. 36,000 cycles) of accelerated wear under a heavy load of 100 kN, the coating maintained a contact angle >150° and a friction coefficient of 0.328 (at 60 km/h), meeting safety standards. Additionally, the SCG demonstrated exceptional environmental durability against UV aging and freeze-thaw cycles. With a low material cost of $3.95/m², SCG presents a highly effective and economically feasible solution for large-scale pavement de-icing.