Bubble Engineering for Controlled Thermal Transport and Piezoresistive Sensing in Anti‐Icing Surfaces

Abstract

ABSTRACT Efficient anti‐icing in extreme environments is fundamentally limited by rapid heat dissipation through continuous heat‐transfer pathways, which hinders stable thermal confinement at functional surfaces. Here, we report a strategy to regulate heat transport through engineered bubble architectures, enabling reconstruction of heat‐transfer pathways in soft composite films. The system integrates a bubble‐filled elastomeric insulation layer with a multifunctional photothermal/electrothermal coating. The spatial organization of bubbles disrupts continuous through‐thickness heat conduction and increases the effective thermal resistance by creating tortuous heat‐transfer pathways. Numerical simulations and experiments reveal that thermal performance is governed not only by porosity but also by bubble size and spatial arrangement, enabling optimized thermal confinement under subzero conditions down to −30°C. Coupled photothermal and electrothermal effects further enable effective anti‐icing and rapid, externally triggered de‐icing, while an embedded conductive network provides real‐time mechanical sensing capability. This work demonstrates a structural strategy for regulating heat transport in soft functional materials and provides a scalable route toward multifunctional anti‐icing surfaces.