High-durability anti-fouling and anti-icing coatings

A material comprising:

• a durable continuous matrix;
• a plurality of first inclusions, dispersed within said matrix, each comprising a fluoropolymer selected from the group consisting of polyfluoroethers, perfluoropolyethers, polyfluoroacrylates, polyfluorosiloxanes, polyfluorosilicones, and combinations thereof, wherein said fluoropolymer has a surface energy between about 5 mJ/m2 to about 50 mJ/m2;
• and
• a plurality of second inclusions, dispersed within said matrix, each comprising a hygroscopic material that attracts and absorbs water,
• wherein said first inclusions and said second inclusions are discrete particles or phase domains distinct from said durable continuous matrix,
• wherein said first inclusions and said second inclusions are covalently connected to each other in a block copolymer comprising said fluoropolymer and said hygroscopic material, wherein said block copolymer is a segmented copolymer composition comprising:
• (a) one or more first soft segments containing said fluoropolymer, wherein said fluoropolymer is (α,ω)-hydroxyl-terminated and/or (α,ω)-amine-terminated;
• (b) one or more second soft segments as said hygroscopic material;
• (c) one or more isocyanate species, or a reacted form thereof, possessing an isocyanate functionality of 2 or greater;
• and
• (d) one or more polyol or polyamine chain extenders or crosslinkers, or a reacted form thereof,
• wherein said hygroscopic material is selected from the group consisting of poly(oxymethylene), poly(ethylene glycol), poly(propylene glycol), poly(tetrahydrofuran), poly(glycolic acid), poly(caprolactone), poly(ethylene adipate), poly(hydroxybutyrate), poly(hydroxyalkanoate), cellulose, modified cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, PEG diacrylate, PEG monoacrylate, and combinations thereof.