LAUSR

Abstract The efficiency of microwave de-icing is a factor in the popularisation and application of this method. In this study, iron black, silicon carbon, and graphite were added to road concrete to enhance the microwave de-icing efficiency. The microwave heating efficiency and temperature distribution on a concrete surface were also investigated. In addition, the de-icing area and dielectric property of wave absorbing concrete were also investigated and compared. The results indicate that the temperature time curve during microwave de-icing can be divided into three stages based on the different microwave heating efficiencies. An ice layer decreases the microwave heating efficiency of a concrete surface, and when the ice layer turns into water, the microwave heating efficiency of the concrete clearly increases. The addition of a wave absorbing material enhances the microwave de-icing efficiency of the concrete. When the addition of graphite reaches 15%, the microwave heating efficiency of the concrete increases by 0.98 °C/s, the relative dielectric constant increases by 3.5–4.7, and the de-icing area reaches 66.7 cm2, which is 5.1-times that of ordinary Portland cement (PC) concrete. Iron black also enhances the microwave de-icing efficiency of the concrete, and the microwave heating efficiency increases by 0.35 °C/s and the effective de-icing area increases to 33.6 cm2 with the addition of 15% iron black. The enhancements of the three absorbing materials from high to low are from graphite, iron black, and silicon carbon. Dielectric property tests of concrete show that the relative dielectric constant and dielectric loss tangent are closely related to the microwave de-icing efficiency.