Managing ice challenges on the slopes
Ivan Origone and Valentina Greggio are not household names but in the world of speed skiing they are the very best. The two Italians hold the current world records at a staggering 254 km/h (158mph) & 247 km/h (153 mph) respectively. They were travelling at such a rate of velocity that the slope ice had melted as if hot water had been poured onto it. Their skis had been covered with a special coating that maximised the fluid friction between the ski and the surface and reduced static friction, ensuring they could reach higher speeds.
Away from the professionals, us mere mortals taking their annual ski holiday use similar – if cheaper – technology to enable smooth journeys down an Alp. Most skis & snowboards have waxed bottoms (if you’ll excuse the expression), creating decent levels of fluid friction. However, there are many different types of snow, and the lower the temperature the more icy it becomes.
To date the focus for ski / board manufacturers has been on their underside and with good reason; however there is growing evidence that in certain conditions there can be build up of ice on the top surface of the ski, around the ski boot and – in the case of telemarked skis for Nordic skiing on the flat – in the gap where the rear of the boot rises out of the binding to allow for forward momentum (a particular problem if suddenly the boot won’t rest back into its binding).
Ice build up always means more weight and thus increased instability, and although to date there have only been a few recorded incidents where ice build-up has caused accidents (this is partly due to the ice shearing off at point of impact, thus missing the real cause), health & safety experts from ski resorts and ski manufacturers are taking the challenge seriously to see how much of a problem it really is.
The answer may lie in looking at other industries where ice build-up is an issue, such as automotive and aviation. For many years these sectors have investigated ways in which to mitigate against potentially life-threatening ice incidents, with varying degrees of success. Anti-icing technology has reached a certain point of effectiveness but the reality is that most solutions still require regular re-application of Glycol or in the case of aircraft Aircraft De-icing Fluid (ADF) needs to be applied on the ground.
For these industries use of a passive, permanent durable anti-icing coating would appear to be the right way to go. In the case of winter sports equipment, applying such a coating to skis, boards and boots would mitigate against the issue of ice build-up and remove a potential hazard. Another positive side-effect would be the increased life cycle of the equipment – a particular benefit to rental companies.
The ICELIP project (commercial name Icemart®) – led by a consortium* of British-based organisations and funded by Innovate UK – is focused on the development and commercialisation of a new, passive ice-repellent coating that prevents ice formation and adhesion without the need for active ice-management. It incorporates functionalised nano particles into an aviation-certified film forming matrix and could provide winter sports equipment companies with an answer to the challenges posed by ice build-up.
* TWI Ltd, CAV Systems, LSBU, Innvotek, BAE Systems, Promethean Particles, Opus Materials Technologies
