Bio-inspired surface modification of aluminium heat exchanger fins using laser structuring and PDMS coating for improved and scalable hydrophobic and ice-adhesion performance
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
Abstract
With the rapid increase in heat pump installations, the issue of icing on aluminium fins in ASHP has become significant. Ice formation reduces heat exchanger efficiency, leading to higher energy consumption and maintenance costs. To address these issues, we propose the use of DLIP to create bio-inspired structures on aluminium surfaces, followed by applying PDMS via dip-coating to further enhance the hydrophobic and anti-icing properties. The untreated and treated samples were tested for ice adhesion, dynamic and static contact angles before and after ice adhesion, and PDMS coating on the sample surface was observed with sem. DLIP treated surfaces showed significantly increased static contact angles, while the subsequent PDMS coating further reduced ice adhesion. SEM characterization revealed the line-like surface structures inspired by scallop shells with a periodic distance of 18 µm inspired by lotus leaves. The modified surfaces significantly increased the hydrophobicity compared to non-structured Al surfaces for about 40° while maintaining the low ice adhesion strength of 400 kPa, suggesting potential applications for optimizing heat pump efficiency.
Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1906-1921 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | Journal of Adhesion |
| Volume | 101 |
| Issue number | 16 |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 28 May 2025 |
| Peer-reviewed | Yes |
External IDs
| ORCID | /0000-0001-5121-5974/work/186183368 |
|---|---|
| ORCID | /0000-0002-8740-8310/work/186183900 |
Keywords
Sustainable Development Goals
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Keywords
- Air-sourced heat pumps (ASHP), direct laser interference patterning (DLIP), Bio-inspired surface, ice adhesion, scallop shells, static and dynamic contact angle