Mechanically Interlocked Bioinspired Armor: Sea Urchin‐Mimetic Superhydrophobic Coatings with Ultrahigh Durability for Anti‐Icing/Deicing

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Abstract

Ice accretion on infrastructure jeopardizes operational safety, spurring demand for robust photothermal anti/de-icing superhydrophobic surfaces. However, their fragility under external mechanical degradation limits practical applications. Inspired by sea urchins' hierarchical armor, a composite protective superhydrophobic coating (PDSF/UPNI) integrating resin-mediated interfacial interactions and microneedle-enhanced morphology is proposed. The design features urchin-inspired polyaniline particles embedded within a silicone-based resin matrix, with their microstructure anchored via hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking interactions to form multiscale microneedle-like protrusions. These PDSF/UPNI composite coatings, achieved via parameter optimization, demonstrate exceptional superhydrophobicity through surface-embedded polyaniline particles. Moreover, the coating imparts distinguished mechanical robustness, enabling it to retain water repellency even after 800 abrasion and 100 tape peeling cycles. In contrast to the intricate fabrication procedures and structurally vulnerable biomimetic configurations characteristic of conventional superhydrophobic coatings, PDSF/UPNI demonstrates exceptional mechanical robustness through hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking-reinforced interfacial mechanical interlock engineering, thereby circumventing the inherent durability limitations of traditional topographical designs. The enhanced durability significantly contributes to passive anti-icing and active photothermal de-icing applications by increasing the freezing delay time and reducing the melting time on prepared surfaces. By reconciling mechanical robustness with photothermal ice-phobic synergy, this work establishes a biomimetic blueprint for ultrahigh-durable multifunctional superhydrophobic coatings.

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