Detailed description (English): Ice formation is a serious economic and safety problem in different industries, especially the aeronautics sector.
The MAI TAI Project (Multidisciplinary Approach for the Implementation of new Technologies to prevent Accretion of Ice on aircrafts) aims to develop new ice protection systems that improve on the state of the art by considering aspects such as reducing energy consumption and facilitating application, integration, repairability and durability. This project also aims to design specific analyses to properly test the materials developed.
AIMPLAS’ role in this project is to develop passive systems based on low surface energy polymers and active systems based on Joule effect heating that provide surface heating, as well as hybrid systems that combine both methods. AIMPLAS is also working on the formation of ice in climate chambers and developing a method to determine the adhesion of ice to coatings.
AIMPLAS’ passive solutions include the development of coatings with low surface energy polymers and nano-additives.
Active systems developed by AIMPLAS to prevent ice formation have focused on evaluating the formulation of heating paints based on carbonaceous nanomaterials such as graphene, graphite, carbon nanotubes and carbon black.
Based on the passive and active systems described above, a hybrid system has been designed. In order to use this kind of system, different layers are added. This hybrid system maintains its heating and water-repellent properties
Target group(s): Aeronautic industry
Objectives: During this project, the aim was to go one step further in the development of anti-icing systems, so the decision was made to take a synergistic approach to combining both solutions with a multilayer system. The aim of these hybrid systems is therefore to prevent ice formation and, if ice forms, to eliminate it with minimum energy consumption and weight increase. Very few devices of this kind can be found in the scientific bibliography, which means work must be done to further develop solutions of this kind.
Development of the MAI TAI Project, represents a major step forward towards solving the serious problem of ice formation and can be applied to other sectors, such as wind turbines and the automotive and construction industries.
Partner: AIMPLAS, UPNA, INTA, AIN, AIRBUS