'New way to remove ice buildup without chemicals'

MIT researchers, including those of Indian origin, have developed a completely passive, solar-powered way of combating ice buildup, without using heating systems or chemical sprays.

From airplane wings to overhead powerlines to the giant blades of wind turbines, a buildup of ice can cause problems ranging from impaired performance all the way to catastrophic failure.

However, preventing that buildup usually requires energy-intensive heating systems or chemical sprays that are environmentally harmful, according to the research published in the journal Science Advances.

The new system developed by Kripa Varanasi, Susmita Dash and colleagues from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US is remarkably simple.

It is based on a three-layered material that can be applied or even sprayed onto the surfaces to be treated.

It collects solar radiation, converts it to heat, and spreads that heat around so that the melting is not just confined to the areas exposed directly to the sunlight.

Once applied, it requires no further action or power source. It can even do its de-icing work at night, using artificial lighting.

"Icing is a major problem for aircraft, for wind turbines, powerlines, offshore oil platforms, and many other places," Varanasi said.

"The conventional ways of getting around it are de-icing sprays or by heating, but those have issues," she said.

Varanasi and his team considered the energy given off by the Sun. They wanted to see whether "there is a way to capture that heat and use it in a passive approach."