Modular arborized fog harvesting device with coordinated mechanism of capture and transport

Abstract

With global water scarcity a growing problem, fog harvesting technology has emerged as an effective solution. Industrial development and population growth have exacerbated the need for efficient, dismantlable, and assembled fog harvesting devices, as well as the requirement to optimize the droplet capture-transport relationship. In this study, a novel modular bionic 3D tree-like structure for fog harvesting system (3D-TSFHS) was developed to achieve rapid droplet transport by means of Nepenthes-inspired superslip leaves (SSLs). In addition, aluminum (Al) cones with superhydrophilic and superhydrophobic (SHL-SHB) patterns were prepared to enhance the droplet capture efficiency by drawing on the special wettability and structural features of various plants and animals such as cactus, spider silk, desert beetles, lizards and camphor leaves. This artificial design significantly enhances the overall capture and transport relationship. The resulting embedded superslip leaves Al cone fog harvesting (E-SLAC-FH) dramatically improves the fog harvesting efficiency and exhibits excellent durability. Assembling this fog harvesting into a 3D-TSFHS achieves a high fog harvesting efficiency of 0.462 g∙cm⁻²∙min⁻¹. The system's modular design and its exceptional durability ensure its potential for a wide range of applications in a variety of real-world scenarios.