2An All-in-One ‘Icephobic’ Coating

When ice forms on power lines, planes, ships or oil rigs, it’s not only a safety hazard but a financial one, as well. Currently, coatings to combat this problem fall into one of two categories: anti-icing or de-icing. Anti-icing solutions help prevent ice from forming in the first place, while de-icing solutions aid in ice removal.

Arun Kota, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, has developed a coating designed to both prevent and remove ice, which would be a unique “icephobic” solution. Kota’s natural, organic icephobic coating — called “NO-Ice” — helps prevent freezing on a surface and also makes it easier to remove ice when it eventually forms. NO-Ice combines natural ingredients to create a completely biodegradable coating that can be applied to almost any surface as a spray, with a brush or using other techniques.

CIF support will be used to further test NO-Ice — in a scaled-up “icing tunnel” — and optimize its composition to be applied in spray form in order to attract potential partners in the aviation industry, which will be its first target market.