Superhydrophobic Pump: Continuous and Spontaneous Antigravity Water Delivery

Antigravity transportation of water, which is often observed in nature, is becoming a vital demand for advanced devices and new technology. Many studies have been devoted to the motion of a single droplet on a horizontal or inclined substrate under specific assistance. However, the self-propelled water motion, especially continuous antigravity water delivery, still remains a considerable challenge. Here, a novel self-ascending phenomenon driven only by the surface energy release of water droplets is found, and a superhydrophobic mesh to pump water up to a height of centimeter scale is designed. An integrated antigravity transportation system is also demonstrated to continuously and spontaneously pump water droplets without additional driving forces. The present novel finding and integrated devices should serve as a source of inspiration for the design of advanced materials and for the development of new technology with exciting applications in microfluidics, microdetectors, and intelligent systems.