Compositions and Methods for Inhibiting Ice Formation on Surfaces

The present invention provides methods for inhibiting the formation of ice on a surface, reducing contact line pinning at a water-solid interface, inhibiting the transition of water from a vapor state to a solid state (i.e., desublimation), and decreasing adhesion of a substance to a surface, which methods comprise, in various aspects, applying to a surface one or more phase change materials where the phase change materials have a melting point above a temperature at which ice formation occurs on the surface. Anti-icing compositions are further provided.