Silicone rubber insulators widely used in power grids has undergone aging due to the synergistic effects of UV radiation

strong electric field

ozone

and other factors

resulting in a decline in hydrophobic/anti-icing properties. This has become a bottleneck issue hindering the reliable operation of power system. In the current research

a novel approach to enhance the hydrophobic and anti-icing properties of aged silicone rubber material using pulsed laser lift-off technology is proposed. Through simulation and experimental validation

the behavior of water droplet impacting on cold surfaces with different wettability is systematically investigated. A comparative analysis is conducted on the droplet rebound

freezing behavior

and ice adhesion characteristics before and after the removal of the aged layer from the silicone rubber. The results indicate that pulsed laser effectively removes contaminants

cracks

and the aging layer from the surface of silicone rubber

resulting in an increase in the contact angle from 96.00° to 158.75°. Compared with the surfaces of aged and new silicone rubber

an impacting droplet on the surface with the aged layer stripped is more prone to rebound because of its low surface energy and micro/nano composite structure. When the temperature drops to -10℃

due to the freezing of the droplet

rebound does not occur on surfaces of all wettabilities. The freezing time of the droplet on the stripped surface is extended by 6.03 times compared with that on the aged surface

and ice adhesion strength is reduced by 45.2 kPa. The amount of ice accumulation on the insulator with its aged layer stripped by pulsed laser is smaller

and ice flashover voltage is increased by 41.7% compared with that before stripping.