Abstract
Low-tech, radiative, and recyclable plastic foil is considered for the passive collection of dew water. Fashioning micro-grooves at their surface by hot embossing improves by a large factor the collection of even tiny water drops. We show that this improvement is conserved under harsh outdoor conditions. The ability of the micro-grooved foil to collect condensed water is measured by the latency time (tl) to collect the first drop at the bottom of a vertical substrate. Compared to the same smooth foil, tl is smaller for the micro-grooved foil by an order of magnitude. Under severe outdoor conditions (dust storm, heat waves) the properties of the micro-grooved foil are preserved after 6 months, whereas the collection properties of the smooth foil have decreased by 50%. The basic reason is the insensitivity of the water collection mode to the evolution of surface wetting and roughness properties. Such a low-cost, scalable, and robust material should find applications in passive water harvesting devices to supply supplementary fresh water in regions where water is, or is becoming, a scarce resource.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
