# Slippery icephobic materials ## expand\_more ![slips_antiicing-200.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum6296/files/styles/hwp_1_1__960x960_scale/public/aizenberg/files/slips_antiicing-200.jpg?itok=zVGdqZtR) We developed a scalable method to directly coat aluminum surfaces with a nanostructured polymer layer, subsequently converted into SLIPS. SLIPS can effectively delay ice accumulation and facilitate removal of ice even under high-humidity conditions.### Slippery Icephobic Materials Slippery liquid-infused solid surfaces present a radically different approach to creating ice-repellent materials. State-of-the-art superhydrophobic surfaces frequently fail under high humidity, as the textures become coated with condensation and frost. The molecularly smooth liquid interface of SLIPS provides a comprehensive, integrated approach to ice prevention: the defect-free surface 1) enables incipient condensation droplets to slide off before they can freeze, 2) minimizes sites for ice nucleation, 3) ensures that free-sliding droplets freeze only in isolated patches rather than packed sheets, 4) minimizes ice adhesion, allowing frozen droplets to slide off under a small gravitational force, and 5) sheds droplets just as they start to thaw. ![Fig. 3: The smooth, defect-free SLIPS](/sites/g/files/omnuum6296/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/aizenberg/files/ice_nucleation2.jpg?itok=USEwckLf) The smooth, defect free SLIPS surface minimizes sites for ice to nucleate, compared to textured superhydrophobic surfaces (SHS). We have developed a technique for directly fabricating SLIPS on any metal surface, bringing SLIPS technology to refrigeration, aviation, marine vessels, wind turbines, wires, and many more metal-based applications. Aluminum (Al) in particular is widely used for cooling fins in heat exchangers and as a lightweight structural material, and we have demonstrated that SLIPS-coated Al surfaces not only suppress ice and frost accretion by efficiently removing condensed moisture even under high-humidity conditions, but also exhibit at least an order of magnitude lower ice adhesion than state-of-the-art anti-ice coatings. We are currently partnering with the refrigeration and aviation industries to develop new SLIPS-enabled, energy-efficient, and safe technologies. ![Fig. 4: Free-sliding droplets that do freeze remain isolated, rather than merging into a large ice coating.](/sites/g/files/omnuum6296/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/aizenberg/files/ice_morphology.jpg?itok=K38GmXQD) Condensation droplets slide off the SLIPS surface before they have a chance to grow or freeze. Free-sliding droplets that do freeze remain isolated, rather than merging into a continuous icy coating. Further, while the droplets do ultimately freeze at low temperatures, SLIPS minimizes ice adhesion and allows frozen droplets to slide off. ![Fig. 6: Thawing droplets](/sites/g/files/omnuum6296/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/aizenberg/files/ice_thawed_droplet_mobility.jpg?itok=QSNw5f22) Thawing droplets are not pinned to the surface and can slide off upon a small increase in temperature. ## Publications Download 3 citations download- [BibTeX](/bibcite/export?pager_style=standard_pager&number_of_items=15&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_researchtopics12%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=106136&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_project%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=111551&&&format=bibtex) - [EndNote X3 XML](/bibcite/export?pager_style=standard_pager&number_of_items=15&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_researchtopics12%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=106136&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_project%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=111551&&&format=endnote8) - [EndNote 7 XML](/bibcite/export?pager_style=standard_pager&number_of_items=15&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_researchtopics12%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=106136&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_project%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=111551&&&format=endnote7) - [Endnote tagged](/bibcite/export?pager_style=standard_pager&number_of_items=15&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_researchtopics12%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=106136&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_project%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=111551&&&format=tagged) - [Marc](/bibcite/export?pager_style=standard_pager&number_of_items=15&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_researchtopics12%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=106136&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_project%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=111551&&&format=marc) - [PubMedId](/bibcite/export?pager_style=standard_pager&number_of_items=15&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_researchtopics12%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=106136&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_project%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=111551&&&format=pubmed_id) - [RIS](/bibcite/export?pager_style=standard_pager&number_of_items=15&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_researchtopics12%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=106136&taxonomy_filters%5Bfield_hwp_c_project%5D%5B0%5D%5Btarget_id%5D=111551&&&format=ris) ### 2013 Wilson P, Lu W, Xu H, Kim P, Kreder M, Alvarenga J, Aizenberg J. [Inhibition of Ice Nucleation by Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous Surfaces (SLIPS)](/publications/inhibition-ice-nucleation-slippery-liquid-infused-porous-surfaces-slips). Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. 2013;15:581–585. doi:10.1039/C2CP43586A Wilson P, Lu W, Xu H, Kim P, Kreder M, Alvarenga J, Aizenberg J. [Inhibition of Ice Nucleation by Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous Surfaces (SLIPS)](/publications/inhibition-ice-nucleation-slippery-liquid-infused-porous-surfaces-slips). Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. 2013;15:581–585. doi:10.1039/C2CP43586A - add\_circle\_outline do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:27663226) Ice repellent coatings have been studied and keenly sought after for many years, where any advances in the durability of such coatings will result in huge energy savings across many fields. Progress in creating anti-ice and anti-frost surfaces has been... - [ descriptionPublisher's Version](http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:27663226) ### 2012 Kim P, Wong T, Alvarenga J, Kreder M, Adorno-Martinez W, Aizenberg J. [Liquid-Infused Nanostructured Surfaces with Extreme Anti-Ice and Anti-Frost Performance](/publications/liquid-infused-nanostructured-surfaces-extreme-anti-ice-and-anti-frost-performance). ACS Nano. 2012;6(8):6569–6577. doi:10.1021/nn302310q Kim P, Wong T, Alvarenga J, Kreder M, Adorno-Martinez W, Aizenberg J. [Liquid-Infused Nanostructured Surfaces with Extreme Anti-Ice and Anti-Frost Performance](/publications/liquid-infused-nanostructured-surfaces-extreme-anti-ice-and-anti-frost-performance). ACS Nano. 2012;6(8):6569–6577. doi:10.1021/nn302310q - [ picture\_as\_pdfKim2012.ACSNano.pdf](/sites/g/files/omnuum6296/files/Kim2012.ACSNano_0.pdf) - [ picture\_as\_pdfKim2012.ACSNano.pdf](/sites/g/files/omnuum6296/files/Kim2012.ACSNano_0.pdf) ### 2011 Wong T-S, Kang SH, Tang S, Smythe E, Hatton B, Grinthal A, Aizenberg J. [Bioinspired self-repairing slippery surfaces with pressure-stable omniphobicity](/publications/bioinspired-self-repairing-slippery-surfaces-pressure-stable-omniphobicity). Nature. 2011;477:443–447. doi:10.1038/nature10447 Wong T-S, Kang SH, Tang S, Smythe E, Hatton B, Grinthal A, Aizenberg J. [Bioinspired self-repairing slippery surfaces with pressure-stable omniphobicity](/publications/bioinspired-self-repairing-slippery-surfaces-pressure-stable-omniphobicity). Nature. 2011;477:443–447. doi:10.1038/nature10447 - [ picture\_as\_pdfSLIPS%20paper.pdf](/sites/g/files/omnuum6296/files/SLIPS%2520paper_0.pdf) - [ picture\_as\_pdfSLIPS%20paper.pdf](/sites/g/files/omnuum6296/files/SLIPS%2520paper_0.pdf)