High-throughput laser processing towards autonomous discovery of anti-icing materials

High-throughput laser processing and analysis tools are implemented towards autonomous material discovery in the application of ice resistant metal surfaces. Multi-objective optimization opens multiple routes to icing prevention; including passive heating via tuned spectral properties, water repellency, and microtextures that minimize adhesion strength of ice that does form on the material surface. The processing system can create unique new surfaces every few seconds using ultrafast lasers directed using galvanometric mirrors with tunable power, polarization, and intensity distribution. High-throughput diagnostic tools include optical absorptivity and dynamic contact angle measurements. Spectral absorptivity is optimized for passive solar heating, and surfaces with high contact angles, low hysteresis minimize the likelihood of freezing events. Ultimate anti-icing performance is characterized by freezing time of droplets under solar illumination and force of ice adhesion on identified samples. This laser processing methodology provides a clean, material agnostic, coating-free approach to the problem of icing.