AeroPel Icephobic variants are advanced, superhydrophobic surface treatments that prevent ice nucleation and reduce ice adhesion strength by orders of magnitude below any other available coatings
Aircraft icing presents a significant challenge to aviation operations, leading to increased risks, operational inefficiencies, and costly delays. When ice forms on aircraft surfaces, it can disrupt the airflow over the wings and tail, leading to a loss of lift and potentially causing dangerous in-flight conditions. Ice accumulation can also increase the weight of the aircraft, further compromising its performance and safety. In addition to safety concerns, icing can cause operational disruptions, resulting in delays and increased maintenance costs. Consequently, the aviation industry continuously seeks innovative solutions to mitigate these risks and enhance aircraft performance in icy conditions.
AeroPel™ NPL APC variants are chemical-based nanocomposite protective layers currently under development to deliver superhydrophobic and icephobic properties to treated surfaces. The APC variant family includes:
- AeroPel™ APC200 ECS Protection & Enhancement Series
- AeroPel™ APC400 Icephobic Protection Series
The AeroPel™ NPL APC variants work by imparting extreme levels of superhydrophobicity and icephobicity to aircraft substrates through a proprietary formulation. The superior surface energy properties actively prevent ice nucleation, thereby mitigating ice build-up and moisture impacts, protecting the treated substrate from atmospheric and galvanic corrosion in harsh environments, such as arctic, humid, and marine regions.
Originally developed and tested for military aerospace icing applications, AeroPel™ NPL demonstrated remarkable performance. Tests conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) revealed that AeroPel™ NPL reduced ice adhesion strength by several orders of magnitude compared to any other commercially available coating. The impressive durability observed in these tests suggests that AeroPel™ NPL is suitable for other anti-icing and corrosion applications, including wind turbines, bridges, railways, power transmission and other cables, communication towers, and many more.
This surface treatment remains stable and functional on complex geometries and components. In tests on glass, aluminum, and copper alloys, surfaces treated with AeroPel™ APC icephobic NPL exhibited water contact angles greater than 160°, compared with approximately 80° on untreated substrates. The receding angle of water with AeroPel™ NPL exceeded 130°, compared with approximately 60° on untreated substrates.
AeroPel™ APC variants address the need for efficient aircraft icing prevention, offering a solution to halt ice nucleation and protect a wide range of industries from the operational impacts of ice accumulation. By preventing ice build-up, AeroPel™ APC can help industries avoid the significant costs associated with repairs, delays, damages, and compensations.
To learn more, please visit the AeroPel website:
Key Benefits
- Cures in 24-48 hours (20 degrees Celsius) or 4 hours (75 degrees Celsius)
- Functional at thicknesses of 1.5mil (37.5μm) post-curing
- <5% change of thermal diffusivity for underlying substrate
- Ice adhesion strength with AeroPel is <10kPa, compared to bare aluminum ice adhesion which is >1200kPa
- Roll off angle is <10° in tests on glass, aluminum and copper alloys
