In this Phase I effort, HygraTek will explore a novel anti-ice coating formulation to develop icephobic surfaces for naval ship superstructures, decks, equipment and vehicles on board naval ships, e.g. fighter jets, helicopters etc. HygraTek has recently developed a series of different environmentally safe, non-fluorinated, transparent, icephobic coatings. These coatings display the lowest ice-adhesion strength values (force per unit area required to slide ice of a surface) that have ever been reported ( 99 % transmission) with excellent durability Minimal maintenance, and inexpensive compared to other products currently in market Water repellent; resistant to corrosion, mild acids, UV, solar exposure, organisms and organic phosphates Not harmful for aquatic animals; negligible risk for water pollution
Benefit: HygraTek proposes a novel hydrophobic anti-ice coating that will tackle ice formation, accumulation and accretion on ship superstructures and other deck equipment, and even on aerial vehicles and remotely piloted aircraft that are used by the US Navy (viz. warships). HygraTeks coating will find immense use in military avionic systems, commercial aircrafts, power transmission lines, traffic lights, wind turbine blades, solar panels, energy storage devices, electronics and sensors. Our ultimate goal is to formulate a passive anti-ice system that can be easily applied on fielded platforms. This technology will be installed and/or retrofitted on already fielded systems, within 2 or 3 years, and will be inexpensive and easy to apply and use.
Keywords: Ice-Releasing Surface, Ice-Releasing Surface, Ice-Phobic Surface, Cold Region Operations, Arctic Operations, Anti-Icing Surface, Superhydrophobic Surface
