Residents of Kelowna and the Okanagan are no strangers to icy windshield problems.
UBC Okanagan engineers aim to ease winter frustration with a new surface coating that can shed ice from large areas using little effort.
The new anti-ice coating is a new class of surfaces called low interfacial toughness (LIT) materials and were developed by UBC Okanagan researchers in a new study.
香蕉视频直播淔or those experienced in the early morning windshield scrape, it should come as no surprise that it normally takes quite a lot of force to remove large areas of ice,香蕉视频直播� said Kevin Golovin, assistant professor at the UBCO School of Engineering and study lead author.
香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 not the case with LIT materials. Imagine simply brushing the ice away or letting it sliding off the windshield from its own weight香蕉视频直播攖hat香蕉视频直播檚 how effective LIT materials can be.香蕉视频直播�
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According to Golovin, the development of this new class of materials is changing the way scientists understand ice adhesion.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e disproving the last 80 years of thinking about how to lower ice adhesion. Lowering toughness had never been explored as an effective de-icing strategy.香蕉视频直播�
Golovin said LIT materials work by causing cracks to form easily beneath the ice, allowing it to readily dislodge. He compares the effect to a string of dominoes.
香蕉视频直播淚f designed correctly, the force to knock down a single domino is enough to topple them all香蕉视频直播攁dding more dominoes doesn香蕉视频直播檛 require you to push any harder,香蕉视频直播� says Golovin. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 the same with LIT materials. Once you form a crack it can de-ice the entire interface, whether it香蕉视频直播檚 the length of a windshield, an airplane wing or a turbine blade.香蕉视频直播�
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LIT materials can be fabricated from commonplace paints and plastics but possess superior performance against state-of-the-art anti-icing materials in different applications like the de-icing of power lines, aviation wings and even in complex shapes like ice cube trays.
香蕉视频直播淚ce buildup has adverse effects on a range of commercial and residential activities, from downed power lines to air travel delays to scraping one香蕉视频直播檚 windshield,香蕉视频直播� said Golovin.
香蕉视频直播淭his development is definitely a game-changer.香蕉视频直播�
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