Asymmetric fibers for efficient fog harvesting

• Published in: Chemical engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland : 1996) Switzerland : 1996), 2021-07, Vol.415, p.128944, Article 128944
• Main Authors: Zhu, Pingan, Chen, Rifei, Zhou, Chunmei, Tian, Ye, Wang, Liqiu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3D printing; Asymmetric fiber; Fog harvesting; Microfluidics; Synergistic bioinspiration
• ISSN: 1385-8947; 1873-3212
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2021.128944

[Display omitted] •Fibers with asymmetries in shape, surface roughness, and surface chemistry are presented for efficient fog harvesting.•Asymmetric fibers are designed with synergistic bioinspiration to simultaneously enhance fog deposition and water drainage.•These asymmetric fibers provide an up to 7-time enhancement in fog-harvesting rate. Access tosustainable,clean, and safe freshwater remains a global challenge. Harvesting atmospheric fog droplets with mesh collectorsenables an environmental-friendly supply of good-quality freshwater.However, the functional outcomes of existing fibers used in collectors are not satisfactory, because of the inadequacies of conventional fiber design in engineering the surface microstructures and properties.By selectively combining functionalities and advantages of natural structures, we design fibers with synergistic asymmetry in their shape, surface roughness, and surface chemistry to simultaneously enhance fog deposition and water drainage. We draw inspiration from the rugged shape ofGunneraleafto enhance fog deposition, the hierarchical surface roughness ofCotula leafto lubricate the pathway for rapid water drainage, and the heterogeneous wettability of the Namib Desert beetle to promote the directional water transport in bridging fog deposition and water drainage.These fibers achieve a fog-harvesting rate of up to 8.2 × 10−3 g cm−2 s−1, a 7-time enhancement, and thus represent a step-change in addressing the grand challenge of global water shortage.