Development and testing of icephobic materials: Lessons learned from Fraunhofer IFAM

The effective development of icephobic coatings requires test scenarios that simulate relevant icing conditions in the desired application field. Because of a lack of available standardized tests, developers rely on comparative tests, comparing results with pre-defined benchmark systems. In this context, tests need to be conducted under very stable conditions without allowance for fluctuation. This guarantees a development process with stepwise material improvement. Fraunhofer IFAM in Germany began working on icephobic materials over 10 years ago, seeking to develop not only the materials but also adequate test methods. This chapter describes the development process and results of these activities, as well as proposals to improve efficiency further in the future development of icephobic materials.