A Critical Perspective on Photothermal De-Icing

To tackle the formidable challenges posed by extreme cold weather events, significant advancements have been made in developing functional surfaces capable of efficiently removing accreted ice. Nevertheless, many of these surfaces still require external energy input, such as electrical power, which raises concerns regarding their alignment with global sustainability goals. Over the past decade, increasing attention has been directed toward photothermal surface designs that harness solar energy-a resource available on Earth in quantities exceeding the total reserves of coal and oil combined. By converting solar energy into heat, these designs enable the transformation of the interfacial solid-solid contact (ice-substrate) into a liquid-solid contact (water-substrate), significantly reducing interfacial adhesion and facilitating rapid ice removal. This critical perspective begins by emphasizing the advantages of photothermal design over traditional de-icing methods. It then delves into an in-depth analysis of three primary photothermal mechanisms, examining how these principles have expanded the scope of de-icing technologies and contributed to advancements in photothermal surface design. Finally, key fundamental and technical challenges are identified, offering strategic guidelines for future research aimed at enabling practical, real-world applications.