Magnetic-responsive Hair Array with Controllable Drop Bouncing Dyamics and Robust Anti-icing Performance

Abstract

Anti-icing materials that can efficiently limit ice formation have a strong potential to replace existing anti-icing techniques, such as Joule heating, chemical release, which are usually inefficient and environmentally harmful. In this study, an anti-icing material based on a magnetically responsive hierarchical hair array, inspired by hydrophobic hairy fur of semi-aquatic mammal, that can actively modulate drop bouncing dynamics, is presented. The magnetically responsive hair array exhibits an immediate and reversible structural bending motion in response to an external magnetic field. Due to its dynamic structure and water-repellent characteristics, the array can induce distinct multiple modes of drop bouncing behavior by adjusting its structural bending state in a reversible fashion. We demonstrate that the dynamically controllable drop bouncing behavior of the magnetically responsive hierarchical array enables the efficient and robust prevention of ice formation and accumulation.