LAUSR

Abstract The electric heating coating with positive temperature coefficient (PTC) effect enables automatic control maximum temperature during heating, which can protect composite substrate with poor temperature resistant and save electrical energy. This functional coating was developed by adding multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into polyurethane/paraffin composites. Conductivity and PTC effects of this coating were investigated by adjusting proportion of composition, such as MWCNTs mass fraction and PU/paraffin mass proportion. The coating with 8 wt% MWCNTs and 1:2 PU/paraffin composing proportion was evaluated best and was chosen as anti-icing/de-icing test sample. Temperature controlling capability was verified in electric heating experiments, and PTC phenomenon was explained by microstructural transition model. Moreover, this coating with PTC behavior showed excellent anti-icing/de-icing properties and had potentials for diverse anti-icing/de-icing industrial applications.