Ice　accretion　may　cause　malfunction　or　serious　performance　degradation　in　outdoor　facilities　and　structures,　such　as　aircraft,　ship,　locks　and　dams,　offshore　platforms,　solar　panels,　wind　turbines,　power　transmission　towers　and　lines,　and　sports　facilities,　leading　to　huge　economic　loss　or　even　loss　of　human　lives.　Icephobic　materials,　typically　applied　in　the　form　of　coatings,　have　received　growing　attention　in　the　last　decade.　This　review　focuses　on　recent　research　progress　in　water　wetting　state,　ice　nucleation,　and　ice　adhesion　from　both　theoretical　and　application　perspectives.　After　a　short　introduction,　static　and　dynamic　water　wetting　behaviors　are　reviewed,　with　an　emphasis　on　reducing　the　water　adhesion　at　low　temperatures.　Ice　nucleation　theories　have　been　applied　to　investigate　how　the　surface　texture　affects　the　ice　nucleation　behavior,　which　in　turn　could　be　used　to　explain　various　observed　icing　delays.　Icephobic　performance　tests　at　lab　scale　are　then　introduced,　before　several　application　examples　of　icephobic　materials　are　illustrated.　This　review　ends　up　with　discussions　of　some　outstanding　issues　and　challenges　faced　by　this　research　community,　keeping　in　mind　the　complexity　of　different　environment　in　which　practical　applications　are　taking　place.　©　2019　Elsevier　Ltd