Study on the Preparation and Performance of Anti-Ice Hydrogels for Low-Temperature Environments

Yunhui Tian; Wei Sheng; Wenhao Li; Huazheng Guo

doi:10.54691/n7qzwq60

Study on the Preparation and Performance of Anti-Ice Hydrogels for Low-Temperature Environments

Yunhui Tian, Wei Sheng, Wenhao Li, Huazheng Guo

Frontiers in Science and Engineering, (2026), Vol.6, No.2, pp.31-36

Published: February 28, 2026

DOI: 10.54691/n7qzwq60

PDF: Download Full Text PDF

Abstract

Icing presents significant risks to transportation, infrastructure, and the safety of equipment, while surfaces designed to prevent ice formation, such as superhydrophobic coatings, often fail in low-temperature environments. In this study, three-dimensional crosslinked κ-carrageenan hydrogels were separately impregnated with ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and glycerol, resulting in the formation of ethylene glycol–impregnated κ-carrageenan hydrogel (EGIκCH), propylene glycol–impregnated κ-carrageenan hydrogel (PGIκCH), and glycerol-impregnated κ-carrageenan hydrogel (GLIκCH). Among these, the EGIκCH surface exhibited outstanding anti-icing performance. The freezing delay time of water droplets on the surface of each hydrogel were measured using a contact angle goniometer. The results revealed that all three hydrogels demonstrated significantly longer freezing delay time than glass and aluminum surfaces. At -30°C, the freezing delay time of the EGIκCH surface reached up to 1269 s, markedly exceeding that of the other two types. This study provides a new idea for the preparation of anti-icing materials for low-temperature applications.

Keywords: Hydrogel, Anti-icing, Low-temperature.

APA Citation: Yunhui Tian, Wei Sheng, Wenhao Li, Huazheng Guo (2026). Study on the Preparation and Performance of Anti-Ice Hydrogels for Low-Temperature Environments. Frontiers in Science and Engineering, 6(2), 31-36. https://doi.org/10.54691/n7qzwq60

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