When SLIPS meets TIPS: An endogenous lubricant-infused surface by taking the diluent as the lubricant

Slippery lubricant-infused porous surfaces (SLIPSs) hold great promise in fields requiring adhesion resistance such as self-cleaning, anti-fouling, anti-icing, and anti-scaling. However, their road to practical application is still blocked by the complicated fabrication process and the restricted coating area. To address these challenges, we propose a new concept of endogenous SLIPS in which the porous structure grows from the solution coating of polypropylene/caprylyl methicone undergoing a thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) process. Caprylyl methicone serves as the diluent during TIPS as well as the lubricant in the SLIPS so that the coating can be fabricated in one step and unrestrictedly. The dissolution and phase separation mechanisms have been revealed by molecular dynamic simulation and in situ microscopic observation. Such SLIPSs exhibit impressive sliding property even for sticky and viscous liquids and exhibit extremely low ice adhesion in anti-icing tests.

Automated summary

The novel concept of endogenous SLIPS allows for one-step fabrication without the need for multiple steps, and the dissolution and phase separation mechanisms have been revealed through molecular dynamics simulation and in situ microscopic observation. These SLIPSs exhibit impressive sliding property and anti-icing ability.