Frost　formation　occurs　when　water　vapor　in　the　surrounding　air　comes　into　contact　with　cold　surfaces　through　heat　and　mass　transfer.　It　is　usually　an　undesirable　phenomenon　in　most　refrigeration　and　cryogenic　systems.　A　few　studies　have　shown　that　changing　the　surface　energy,　such　as　increasing　the　surface　hydrophilicity　or　hydrophobicity,　has　significant　effects　on　frost　growth.　In　this　paper,　a　kind　of　hydrophilic　polymer　paint　is　formulated　to　counteract　frost　deposition　on　cold　surfaces.　The　coated　surface　can　retard　frost　formation　up　to　three　hours　under　low　plate　temperatures　(-15.3°C)　and　high　air　humidity　(72%).　To　test　the　antifrosting　performance　of　the　hydrophilic　paint　under　more　practical　conditions,　it　is　applied　to　a　fin-and-tube　heat　exchanger　and　a　domestic　refrigerator　at　a　coating　thickness　of　30　μm.　Comparisons　of　frost　deposition,　pressure　drops,　and　outlet　temperatures　are　made　between　uncoated　and　coated　heat　exchangers.　Under　conditions　of　high　air　temperature　(2.2°C)　and　relative　high　air　humidity　(90%),　the　paint　prolongs　the　defrosting　interval　from　80　to　137　min.　Experimental　observations　also　show　that　the　coated　hydrophilic　fins　are　free　of　frost　deposition　during　the　entire　course　of　the　test　and　that　the　coating　has　no　significant　additional　thermal　resistance.　©　2010　Higher　Education　Press　and　Springer-Verlag　Berlin　Heidelberg.