Porous structure with stable superhydrophobic surface for high-performance atmospheric fog harvesting

Abstract

Multifunctional surface that is favorable for both fog capture and removal is highly desirable for atmospheric fog harvesting application, but still remain a great challenge. Herein, a porous structure with liquid-repellent surface via chemical corrosion and low surface energy modification method is reported for high-performance fog harvesting. Benefiting from the structural confinement effect, flapping tiny fogs can not only contact the limited external surface of materials, but also enter the internal space, thus greatly enhancing the capture probability after kinetic energy loss of fog, rather than easily bounding back and escape from material surface. Accompanying with the liquid-repellent property of surface, nucleation enhancement without compromising liquid transport can be achieved, and resulting in a high fog harvesting rate approximately 3.15 g cm−2 h−1, outperforming most related fog harvesting systems. With the high efficiency, controllability and simplicity, we believe that the proposed strategy to develop porous structure with liquid-repellent surface can provide a new avenue for high-performance fog harvesting materials design.