Bioinspired micro- and nanostructures used for fog harvesting

Water scarcity forms a risk to sustainable development in arid and semi-arid areas. Fog harvesting is a sustainable source for drinking water because of its passive collection, minimal energy requirement, and low maintenance cost. Creatures living in desert areas can survive well because they can extract water directly from the atmosphere usually owing to their hierarchical micro- and nanostructures. Bioinspired structures used to harvest fog have drawn immense attention in recent years. Various bioinspired surfaces for water harvesting are reviewed including plants (cactus, lotus, rice, pitaya, Cotula fallax, Eremopyrum orientale, Salsola crassa, and Gladiolus dalenii) and animals (Stenocara Beetle, spider silk, lizard, cicada wing, earthworms, caterpillars, and mussels) from the aspects of fabrication processes and water collecting efficiency. A comparison table is given with the maximum water collecting efficiency 5300 mg/(cm(2) h). Water transportation and collection are also briefly discussed. Inspiration from nature is just a starting point. The ultimate goal is to increase both the efficiency and the amount of fog harvesting in order to practical usage.

Automated summary

This paper introduces the advantages of fog harvesting as a sustainable source of drinking water in arid and semi-arid areas, as well as the application of bioinspired structures from nature. By comparing the water collection efficiency of various bioinspired surfaces, and discussing the methods of water transportation and collection, it is shown that obtaining inspiration from nature is just a starting point in improving the efficiency and quantity of fog harvesting.