Fabrication of Polytetrafluoroethylene-Coated Asphalt Concrete Biomimetic Surfaces: A Nanomaterials-Based Pavement Winter Maintenance Approach

Application of super ice/water-repellent materials on pavement surfaces has increasingly drawn attention as a smart and cost-effective method for ice and snow removal. This study focused on fabricating and evaluating icephobic coatings on asphalt concrete pavements for obtaining ice- and snow-free biomimetic icephobic surfaces. After a statistical design, the layer by layer (LBL) method was used for spray depositing the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) on the asphalt concrete at variable dosages of PTFE and different spray times. The degree of hydrophobicity/icephobicity of the coated asphalt concrete was characterized through measuring the water contact angles. Statistical analysis proved the significance of design variables. In addition, skid resistance measurements on the PTFE coated surfaces were compared with those from uncoated surfaces to evaluate the effect of PTFE coating on pavement slipperiness of asphalt surface. A slight decrease in skid resistance of the PTFE coated surface was negligible in comparison to the drastic reduction in skid resistance caused by presence of ice/snow.