Scalable fluorine-free superhydrophobic photothermal coating based on boron carbide and candle soot for anti-icing and photothermal de-icing

C interband absorption and candle soot broadband light harvesting. The coating significantly delays ice formation, with freezing times prolonged by up to 5.77 times compared to bare substrates in the temperature range of -10 °C to -40 °C. Moreover, under 1 sun illumination, the coating enables rapid photothermal deicing, with ice droplets sliding off within 98 s at -10 °C and ice layers completely detached within 375 s. The coating also exhibits excellent mechanical durability, chemical stability, and environmental adaptability, verified by abrasion, tape peeling, sand impact, acid-alkali immersion, and extreme-environment exposure tests. This work provides a feasible and scalable approach for fabricating high-performance photothermal superhydrophobic coatings for all-weather anti-icing and de-icing applications in harsh environments.