Ice Cube Adhesion Test
We carry out ice adhesion tests in the icing wind tunnel using vibrating cantilevers in atmospheric conditions to measure how materials hold up against various ice types, such as rime and glaze ice (refer to the Icing Wind Tunnel page). However this requires samples that allow for light bending when vibrating.
For more brittle materials, or to evaluate run back ice conditions, we use an alternative testing method. An ice cube frozen onto the material’s surface is dislodged while measuring the required force. This force is translated to a shear stress, which is crucial for comparing the ice adhesion properties of different materials such as glass, ceramics and coatings.
Ice cube dimensions
20 mm x 20 mm
Substrate materials
All substrates and surface treatments
Maximum shear stress
2.5 MPa
Example of a shear strength measurement
With the ice cube pusher test, we can rapidly screen paints, surface treatments, or materials and their capabilities as passive ice protection systems. This method provides a quick and efficient way to evaluate how well different coatings and materials prevent ice from adhering to surfaces, crucial for developing more effective anti-icing solutions.
Ice cube pusher test rig
