Impact of surface characteristics on the micro process of ice formation

Ice accumulation on insulator strings and power transmission lines cause serious accidents in many cold regions around the world. The progress of ice accumulation is profoundly affected by surface characteristics such as hydrophobicity and surface heating. This paper focused on the process of ice formation on various kinds of surfaces, such as smooth glass and silicone rubber. A certain kind of semiconducting RTV silicone rubber that can generate heat was also been investigated. The effects of anti-icing were compared. The results showed that the surface heating effect, together with hydrophobicity, apparently affected the pattern of ice.