Study On Preparation And Properties Of Anti-Icing And Low Adhesion Rubber Surface

Rubber conveyor belt are widely used in various fields such as coal, steel, metallurgical industry and docks etc. When conveyor belt used in cold climate regions will encounter the same icing problems as other equipments and vehicles used in the same condition. In order to solve serious problems in cold-climate regions, anti-icing technology has been widely used. At present, most of researches focus on surface of metal and inorganic material, however, surfaces of rubber material are seldom studied. The aim of this study is to prepare a kind of anti-icing and low adhesion surface of rubber to solve icing problem of rubber conveyor belts and other rubber products. To achieve this aim following two ways:1. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and Fluorocarbon surfactants (FSA) with low surface energy and Oleic acid amide (OAA), Erucic acid amide (EAA) and Polyethylene wax (PEW) with high lubrication performance were introduced to alter the rubber surface with anti-icing performance. Samples were prepared by a simple mechanical mixing technique, and the ice adhesion force of the optimized sample is decreased by 78.4% compared with initial sample. Anti-icing durability of rubber samples are evaluated by sandpaper abrasion test. It is found that prepared anti-icing rubber surfaces still have anti-icing property after eight abrasion cycles with sandpaper. An approximate linear relationship between CHA and ice adhesion force was shown.2. One-step hot-press method for preparation anti-icing and low adhesive rubber surface is introduced. (1) A super-hydrophobic rubber surface with contact angle (CA) 147±2° and contact angle hysteresis (CAH) 4.2±2° is fabricated through hot-pressing a layer of powder which was prepared by burning silicone rubber on the rubber surface. Rubber surface forming a micro- and nano-scale rough structure after hot pressing observed by SEM, and ice adhesion force of rubber was decreased by 72% compared to initial sample. However, anti-icing durability of the super-hydrophobic surface was not strong enough to resist freezing. (2) Anti-icing and low adhesion rubber surface is prepared by hot-pressing a layer of super high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) film on the surface of rubber. There is strong bond strength between the film and the rubber when vulcanizing temperature is above the melting temperature of UHMWPE film. The peel strength between rubber and UHMWPE film can be reached to 13.5N/mm when thickness of UHMWPE film is 0.3mm. Ice Adhesion force of rubber surface which is prepared by hot-pressing with UHMWPE film is decreased by 79.6% compared to initial sample and has excellent wear resistance and anti-cutting performance.