Researchers from Tan Trao University and Thai Nguyen University of Education in Vietnam have developed a transparent anti-icing nanostructure inspired by moth’s eyes.

The nanostructure, which was built on a quartz substrate, was cloaked in a layer of paraffin wax, which is both water repellent and demonstrates low thermal conductivity.

During testing, the combination of the material’s ability to repel water and its heat delayed construction made it possible to mimic the anti-icing characteristics of moth's eyes, interrupting the icing process during water droplet and freezing rain tests.

Ice accumulation on a bare coated, nanostructure (NS) and nanostructure covered in paraffin (NSP) samples after a freezing test. Source: Nguyen Ba Duc

Likewise, the air blocks trapped within the nanostructure also delayed heat transfer, which increased the attached water droplets’ freezing times.

According to researchers, the material could have implications for aircraft wings, which when iced over could lead to tragic accidents and the accumulation of ice on energy transmission systems, vehicles and ships operating in harsh settings could potentially lead to catastrophic accidents.

The research appears in the journal AIP Advances.