Superhydrophobic surface of hybrid nanocomposites made of TiO₂ and multi-walled carbon nanotubes: Photothermal ice removal performance and wear resistance

Superhydrophobic surfaces have gained significant popularity in industrial production due to their unique structure resembling lotus leaves. Achieving the mechanical stability of superhydrophobic surfaces and improving the self-cleaning and deicing effects have attracted critical research focus. This study incorporated a hybrid composite of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTS), denoted as TiO2-MWCNTS, into an epoxy resin matrix. The hybrid composite was spray-coated onto the substrate and cured, resulting in a superhydrophobic surface with excellent wear resistance and deicing performance. By adjusting the mass ratio of TiO2 and MWCNTS, it was found that a 3:1 ratio exhibited a contact angle (WCA) of 159.8 degrees +/- 0.5 degrees. Incorporating the TiO2-MWCNTS hybrid structure not only significantly improved the mechanical durability of the coating surface but also harnessed the outstanding photothermal conversion ability of carbon nanotubes, imparting excellent deicing capability to the coated surface. Therefore, this superhydrophobic surface holds great practical value for outdoor applications.