Parameter Study for the Ice Adhesion Centrifuge Test

In this study, we assessed the effects of ice types, test parameters, and surface properties on measurement data of the ice adhesion centrifuge test. This method is often used for the evaluation of low ice adhesion surfaces, although no test standard has been defined yet. The aim of this paper is to improve the understanding of the relevant test parameter and identify crucial criteria to be considered in harmonization and standardization efforts. Results clearly indicate that the ice type (static vs. impact ice) has the greatest impact on the test results, with static ice delivering higher values in a broader data span. This is beneficial for material developers as it eases the evaluation process, but it contradicts the technical efforts to design tests that are as close as possible to realistic technical environments. Additionally, the selected ice type has a significant impact on the relevance of the surface properties (roughness, wettability). Despite the complexity of interactions, a trend was observed that the roughness is the determining surface parameter for high impact velocity ice (95 m/s). In contrast, for tests with static ice, the wettability of the test surface is of higher relevance, leading to the risk of overestimating the icephobic performance of structured surfaces. The results of this paper contribute to the demanding future tasks of defining well-founded test standards and support the development of icephobic surfaces.