A sanitation worker is scattering snow melting agent on a street in Shijiazhuang, capital city of north China's Hebei province. (PHOTO: VCG)

Scientists from Changsha University of Science & Technology recently developed an eco-friendly snow melting agent with strong durability.

The snow melting agent, or anti-freeze material, is a new type of road spraying or brushing material,used to form a functional layer on a road to prevent icing.

Usually, snow melting agents can be divided into chlorides and non-chlorides. At present, the mainstream snow removal agent on the market is chloride, which is not sustainable as it corrode metal equipment and pollutes the environment.

By lowering the freezing point of ice, the research team discovered a new liquid snow melting agent. Experimental tests show that at around 0℃, this agent can melt the ice in five minutes, while the traditional snow melting agent will take several hours.

Additionally, under the constant temperature of -25℃, it can maintain a non-freezing state for more than six months, proving its strong durability.