Water condensation and transport on bioinspired triangular patterns with heterogeneous wettability at a low temperature

Abstract

Desert beetles and cactus plants collect water from fog in arid regions. The desert beetle uses heterogeneous wettability to transport water to its mouth. A cactus uses conical spines which provide Laplace pressure gradient to transport water to its base. In this study, bioinspired triangular patterns with various wettability and different from the surrounding regions were investigated to transport condensed water from ambient air. A low temperature of 5°C was used to decrease saturated vapour pressure to promote water condensation. Results from this study can be used to enhance the performance of water collection systems. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Bioinspired materials and surfaces for green science and technology’.