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 journalResearch articleContributedpeer-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 languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1906-1921
Number of pages16
JournalJournal of Adhesion
Volume101
Issue number16
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 28 May 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0001-5121-5974/work/186183368
ORCID /0000-0002-8740-8310/work/186183900

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • Air-sourced heat pumps (ASHP), direct laser interference patterning (DLIP), Bio-inspired surface, ice adhesion, scallop shells, static and dynamic contact angle