Fabrication of hydrophobic photothermal phase change microcapsules for efficient anti-/deicing

Photothermal hydrophobic coatings are considered as a promising passive anti-/deicing strategy, but their expensive manufacturing process has hindered their large-scale commercial application. Herein, we have constructed a double-shell n-Eicosane@TiO2@CuS phase change microcapsules in a facile approach. The microcapsule exhibits latent heat of 127.8 J/g, and the fluctuation of phase transition temperature and enthalpy in 200 DSC cycles is negligible. The microcapsule shows a strong absorption in the whole solar spectrum, owing to the coupling effect of the flower-like superstructure and localized surface plasmon resonance effect of CuS shell. Liquid marbles are spontaneously formed owing to the large surface roughness and superhydrophobic character of the microcapsule. The microcapsule-based coating surface reveals efficient anti-/deicing performance under low-temperature condition. Our work not only provides a novel approach for the design of high-performance microcapsules but also offers an effective strategy for photothermal anti-/deicing applications.