Wear-Resistant Biomimetic Membrane with a Superhydrophobic–Superhydrophilic Nanohybrid Interface for High-Performance Water Collection
Junda Wu, Jingqiu Fan, Lulu Wang, Xiaohua Tian, Chunxiang Li, Jiangdong Dai
Abstract
Bioinspired water collectors are a promising solution for freshwater scarcity. However, the harsh, dusty, and windy environment in desert areas limits the actual water collection applications of bioinspired materials with poor stability. Herein, inspired by the heterogeneous wettability and hard shell of Namib desert beetles, we propose a stable and wear-resistant biomimetic membrane with a superhydrophobic–superhydrophilic composite surface via a rapid flame combustion method and selective hydrophobic modification process. The preloaded silicon layer ensures the nanosized regulation of the composite membrane and is beneficial for constructing stable and regular heterogeneous beetle-like composite surfaces. The optimal water collection rate of the prepared biomimetic membrane is up to 1472.2 mg cm –2 h –1 . Importantly, benefiting from the nanosized modification and robust structure of the silicon layer, the fabricated composite membrane is capable of remaining stable even after sand-impacting and -wearing tests and shows excellent mechanical stability and application durability in harsh environments. Our study provides a new idea for the simple preparation of beetle-like fog harvesting materials with excellent stability in dusty arid regions for easing freshwater shortage pressure.