Constellation, le dépôt institutionnel de l'Université du Québec à Chicoutimi

Résumé

Atmospheric ice that adheres to structures and accumulates is a critical issue in numerous northern areas. Even the availability of different de-icing methods, they consume a great quantity of energy or necessitate elaborate infrastructure. However, using coatings with icephobic properties could be the “ideal” solution. This paper proposes a definition of icephobicity in line with the ice adhesion test methods used. The general way to assess this property is described using a global approach, the first step of which is a screening test campaign with many different candidate coatings evaluated in terms of their adhesion reduction factor (ARF). Further tests are recommended, after the best candidate coatings are identified, in an extensive test campaign performed under simulated icing, and outdoor conditions prevailing in the real environment of the targeted application. Finally, a specific example of a test campaign in which the icephobic coatings are used to Arctic offshore conditions is described.