A Coupled Icephobic Coating and Piezoelectric Actuator System for Aircraft De-Icing Applications

Icing on aircraft is a significant problem that can lead to catastrophic consequences. Aircraft operators are looking for solutions that require less power than today’s systems. Piezoelectric de-icing systems have gathered a lot of interest in the aviation industry. Combining this technology with industrial icephobic coatings allows for the adhesion strength between the ice and aircraft surfaces to be greatly reduced, thus requiring little power to delaminate the accumulated ice.Experiments were conducted to ensure that the ice adhesion strength of coated and uncoated surfaces were accurate when input into the model. The silicone R-1009 coating was applied onto the de-icing system and compared against the bare substrate and it was found that the coated surface reduces the power required for delamination but does not expel the ice as the uncoated sample does.