Analysis of Thermally Activated Sacrificial Micro Soft Layers for Reduced Surface–Ice Interface Strength
The prompt removal of ice is crucial to the safe operation of maritime equipment. However, traditional deicing approaches such as steam jets or manual tools are costly in terms of energy consumption and human labor. If the ice interfacial strength can be reduced, the above problems can be much allev...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/11/10/1866 |
| _version_ | 1797573378404515840 |
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| author | Hao Tian Tiantian Yi Yongjun Gong |
| author_facet | Hao Tian Tiantian Yi Yongjun Gong |
| author_sort | Hao Tian |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The prompt removal of ice is crucial to the safe operation of maritime equipment. However, traditional deicing approaches such as steam jets or manual tools are costly in terms of energy consumption and human labor. If the ice interfacial strength can be reduced, the above problems can be much alleviated. Therefore, this paper introduces a new type of low-cost, thermally activated sacrificial soft layer that can change phase according to the user’s activation signal to reduce the surface–ice adhesion strength. The proposed gelatine soft layers, containing an environmentally friendly compound (CH<sub>3</sub>COOH or NaHCO<sub>3</sub>), are prepared in 50–70 mm<sup>2</sup> films with a thickness between 0.5 mm and 0.8 mm at room temperature in around 1 h. Layers containing different chemical compounds are stacked vertically, which stay inert at room temperature or lower, but can be thermally activated to change from a solid to gas–liquid phase. The CO<sub>2</sub> gas released from the chemical reaction is trapped between the surface–ice interface, greatly reducing the overall contact area, as well as the surface–ice adhesion strength. An experimental testbed was assembled in the lab, capable of measuring the interfacial ice adhesion strength according to the deflection of a polyurethane cantilever beam. The initial test results showed the promising properties of the layers, where no expansive equipment is required during the sample preparation, and the cost of raw materials to make a pair of soft layers is well below 0.1 USD/mm<sup>2</sup>. Under a −13 °C environment, the surface–ice adhesion strength of pure water ice was found to reduce by over 20%. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:08:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-662a9b14beb04c798095a8cd88d13275 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1312 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:08:51Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-662a9b14beb04c798095a8cd88d132752023-11-19T16:57:48ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122023-09-011110186610.3390/jmse11101866Analysis of Thermally Activated Sacrificial Micro Soft Layers for Reduced Surface–Ice Interface StrengthHao Tian0Tiantian Yi1Yongjun Gong2Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, ChinaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, ChinaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, ChinaThe prompt removal of ice is crucial to the safe operation of maritime equipment. However, traditional deicing approaches such as steam jets or manual tools are costly in terms of energy consumption and human labor. If the ice interfacial strength can be reduced, the above problems can be much alleviated. Therefore, this paper introduces a new type of low-cost, thermally activated sacrificial soft layer that can change phase according to the user’s activation signal to reduce the surface–ice adhesion strength. The proposed gelatine soft layers, containing an environmentally friendly compound (CH<sub>3</sub>COOH or NaHCO<sub>3</sub>), are prepared in 50–70 mm<sup>2</sup> films with a thickness between 0.5 mm and 0.8 mm at room temperature in around 1 h. Layers containing different chemical compounds are stacked vertically, which stay inert at room temperature or lower, but can be thermally activated to change from a solid to gas–liquid phase. The CO<sub>2</sub> gas released from the chemical reaction is trapped between the surface–ice interface, greatly reducing the overall contact area, as well as the surface–ice adhesion strength. An experimental testbed was assembled in the lab, capable of measuring the interfacial ice adhesion strength according to the deflection of a polyurethane cantilever beam. The initial test results showed the promising properties of the layers, where no expansive equipment is required during the sample preparation, and the cost of raw materials to make a pair of soft layers is well below 0.1 USD/mm<sup>2</sup>. Under a −13 °C environment, the surface–ice adhesion strength of pure water ice was found to reduce by over 20%.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/11/10/1866thermally activatedsoft deicing layersreactive layersice adhesion strength |
| spellingShingle | Hao Tian Tiantian Yi Yongjun Gong Analysis of Thermally Activated Sacrificial Micro Soft Layers for Reduced Surface–Ice Interface Strength Journal of Marine Science and Engineering thermally activated soft deicing layers reactive layers ice adhesion strength |
| title | Analysis of Thermally Activated Sacrificial Micro Soft Layers for Reduced Surface–Ice Interface Strength |
| title_full | Analysis of Thermally Activated Sacrificial Micro Soft Layers for Reduced Surface–Ice Interface Strength |
| title_fullStr | Analysis of Thermally Activated Sacrificial Micro Soft Layers for Reduced Surface–Ice Interface Strength |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysis of Thermally Activated Sacrificial Micro Soft Layers for Reduced Surface–Ice Interface Strength |
| title_short | Analysis of Thermally Activated Sacrificial Micro Soft Layers for Reduced Surface–Ice Interface Strength |
| title_sort | analysis of thermally activated sacrificial micro soft layers for reduced surface ice interface strength |
| topic | thermally activated soft deicing layers reactive layers ice adhesion strength |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/11/10/1866 |
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