Poison Dart Frog Inspires New Way to Deice Planes

March 4, 2015
Superhydrophobic coatings make freezing raindrops bounce off the surface of the wing instead of forming ice and sticking. a backup system releases antifreeze to ensure the wings stay ice-free.

Among the hazards of winter flying is being stuck on a plane as it's being sprayed down with antifreeze to prevent ice build-up on the wings.

While this removes the ice and snow, it can be expensive and wasteful, as well as being harmful to the environment. A mix of a chemical called glycol and water is sprayed on in bulk, causing travel delays especially when airports have run out, as happened at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris in December.

Now, a researcher from Arizona State University believes he has found a more economical way to fight the problem.

Writing in the journal Advanced Materials Interfaces, Konrad Rykaczewski and his colleagues describe how they have come up with a system that would allow a plane to prevent ice build while in the air.

More details here.