A manufacturer of de-icing systems brought up the idea of combining an active de-icing system with a coating that easily sheds ice. Ice formation on the leading edge of an aircraft is a common aviation danger, playing a key role in several catastrophic accidents over the years that have killed people and destroyed aircrafts. All commercial aircraft have a built-in ice protection system, which could be either a thermal, thermal-mechanical, electro-mechanical or pneumatic system. A common issue with de-icing devices is that they consume substantial power. Aircraft generally look to reduce power consumption, and with the advent of battery-powered aircraft, mechanisms or features that reduce power consumption are critically important. The aspect of reduced power is also relevant for battery-powered drones. Applying a passive anti-ice coating that functions synergistically with the active de-icing device is an attractive approach. The advantages are reduced power consumption, improved service life of mechanical components, lighter electronics and extra protection in case of failure of active device.
The challenge presented to the engineers and scientists at NEI Corporation was to develop and demonstrate a coating that exhibits durable anti-ice performance, and satisfactory wear and erosion resistance. More importantly, it needed to be practical for retrofitting in-service aircraft as well as be used by OEMs. In order to address the need, NEI developed its NANOMYTE
®
SuperAi™ coating technology to have the following features: