A Quadruple-Biomimetic surface for spontaneous and efficient fog harvesting

Rational manipulation of liquid motion on functional surfaces are of high interest for the fabrication of advanced water-harvest devices. Great efforts have dedicated to the improvement of water condensation, coalescence and transportation in previous works, allowing efficient fog capture and droplet motion. However, the collection barrier greatly deciding water collection performance has rarely been concerned. Learning from unique skills of multiple creatures, we design to construct and optimize superhydrophilic patterns on slippery surfaces. Such patterned slippery-superhydrophilic surfaces are capable of effectively nucleating water droplets by the superhydrophilic arrays, promoting droplet coalescence and delivery with the wedge structure and slippery feature, and reducing collection barrier with the nephrolepis auriculata-like architecture. Notably, the spontaneously water-harvest system presents water collection efficiency of 2166 +/- 71 mg cm-2h-1 that is improved by 139% compared with that of slippery surface. The multi-inspired strategy regarding the synergistical optimization of the whole harvesting process brings new opportunities to environmental and energy applications.

Automated summary

Researchers have successfully increased the efficiency of water droplet condensation, coalescence, and transportation while reducing collection barriers by constructing and optimizing superhydrophilic patterns on slippery surfaces. This multi-inspired strategy has brought new opportunities for environmental and energy applications.