The smart coatings or the intelligent coatings have attracted a lot of interest over the last decades owing to their potential use in the high-tech industries. Due to the stimuli-responsive behaviour of the smart coatings, they are able to feel their environment and give a desirable response to those stimuli. The stimuli can be changed in pH, pressure, temperature, light or even electric or magnetic field variations, which can be responded as changes in size, surface area, shape, temperature, mechanical properties and so on.
Referring to the general definition of smart coatings, a smart icephobic coating could response to the environmental stimuli, resulting in reduction of ice accumulation or delay the ice formation. Phase change materials (PCMs) possess a high heat storage capacity, indicating the ability for storing heat during a phase change process. Such a capability, especially during the melting-solidification transformation has been introducing PCMs as a good potential candidate for many applications including construction, textiles, medical treatments, and the fabrication of icephobic surfaces.
