Investigation on controlling ice adhesion force to solid surface by using thin film made from silane-coupler

Ice adhesion to a cooling solid surface sometimes causes a major accident. While, recently, strong ice adhesion force is positively used to fix a workpiece on a table of machine tool during processing. Therefore, it is necessary to control ice adhesion force to the cooling solid surface. However, the control is indeed a nasty problem to handle. In this paper, as a control method of ice adhesion force to the cooling solid surface, a thin film made from a silane-coupler coated on the solid surface is investigated. The silane-coupler has an organic functional and alkoxyl groups, and the alkoxyl group is changed into a silanol group by hydrolysis. And it is expected that the silanol group can be linked with the slid surface through a hydrogen bonding, while ice adhesion force can be controlled by a characteristic of the organic functional group. And a possibility of control of ice adhesion force due to the thin film is investigated. And endurance and mechanical durability of surface modification by the thin film are also compared with those by conventional methods.

► Simple coating method of the film made from silane-coupler was developed. ► Control of ice adhesion force by using the film was possible. ► Coating of the thin film with thickness of about 1.8 μm could be realized. ► Endurance and mechanical durability of the film were superior to conventional ones. ► The copper test plate could be also coated with similar thin film thickness.