Work

Environmental Impact and Life Cycle Cost Analysis of Superhydrophobic Coatings for Anti-Icing Applications

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Superhydrophobic coatings have great potential to mitigate ice accumulation and ice adhesion issues due to their outstanding water-repellent and self-cleaning characteristics. In the present study, polyurethane elastomer (PUE) is considered a superhydrophobic coating material for anti-icing applications. The life cycle assessment (LCA) of bare aluminum and PUE-coated systems is performed using the Centrum voor Milieukunde Leiden methodology. The cradle-to-gate LCA scope is implemented to evaluate and compare the total environmental impact. This study revealed that the PUE-coated system exhibited a significant reduction in total environmental impact compared to bare aluminum. The levelized cost of coating analysis demonstrates that the PUE coating system is more economical than bare aluminum surfaces. There is scope to reduce the environmental impact associated with PUE-coated systems using bio-based and less toxic chemicals/solvents.

Source: Coatings

DOI: 10.3390/coatings14101305

Authors: Avinash Borgaonkar, Greg McNamara

Institution: Dublin City University

Language: English

Topic: Environmental Impact and Sustainability

Subfield: Environmental Engineering

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,955