Three-Dimensional Graphene Foam–Polymer Composite with Superior Deicing Efficiency and Strength
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posted on 2018-01-18, 00:00 authored by Jenniffer Bustillos, Cheng Zhang, Benjamin Boesl, Arvind AgarwalThe
adhesion of ice severely compromises the aerodynamic performance of
aircrafts operating under critically low-temperature conditions to
their surfaces. In this study, highly thermally and electrically conductive
graphene foam (GrF) polymer composite is fabricated. GrF–polydimethylsiloxane
(PDMS) deicing composite exhibits superior deicing efficiency of 477%
and electrical conductivities of 500 S m–1 with
only 0.1 vol % graphene foam addition as compared to other nanocarbon-based
deicing systems. The three-dimensional interconnected architecture
of GrF allows the effective deicing of surfaces by employing low power
densities (0.2 W cm–2). Electrothermal stability
of the GrF–PDMS composite was proven after enduring 100 cycles
of the dc loading–unloading current. Moreover, multifunctional
GrF–PDMS deicing composite provides simultaneous mechanical
reinforcement by the effective transfer and absorption of loads resulting
in a 23% and 18% increase in elastic modulus and tensile strength,
respectively, as compared to pure PDMS. The enhanced efficiency of
the GrF–PDMS deicing composite is a novel alternative to current
high-power consumption deicing systems.
