Silicones have been utilized in multiple industries in the last 50 years and their applications are still expanding as technology grows. Ice phobic coatings, as an example, have been utilized on lock walls, navigation channels, wind turbines, hydropower intakes, and aircraft. Without protection these applications have a high risk of failure in the functions they perform. For example, ice build up on an aircraft?s aerodynamic surfaces increases drag which reduces lift during flight operations. Utilizing a silicone ice phobic coating significantly reduces the adhesion of ice to aerodynamic surfaces. Compared to other polymeric materials, silicones are known for their broad operating temperature range and lend themselves to excellent performance in a variety of harsh environments. Especially in low temperatures where ice adhesion is a concern, silicones retain their elastomeric physical properties and low modulus. Researchers have validated silicone performance through testing completed by the Department of the Army, Engineer Research and Development Center (CRREL), using the Zero Degree Cone Test. Their results affirm that silicone materials show very low ice adhesion compared to Teflon? or bare aluminum. In addition, NuSil Technology LLC is evaluating the effectiveness of new, specially formulated silicone ice phobic coatings in natural static environments. These tests are essential in characterizing the performance of ice phobic coatings for the aircraft industry. Industry leaders are calling for more effective icing solutions that are more eco-friendly than glycols. In response to this need NuSil Technology is developing innovative ice phobic technology that significantly decreases the adhesion of ice to critical surfaces during flight operations while meeting standard FAA hold over time (HOTS) regulations for glycol fluids.

Presenter
Brian Burkitt, Nusil Technology