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    Novel Water Harvesting Fibrous Membranes with Directional Water Transport Capability

    Year: 2019

    Journal: Adv. Mater. Interfaces, Volume 6, Nov-08

    Authors: Wu, Jing; Zhou, Hua; Wang, Hongxia; Shao, Hao; Yan, Guilong; Lin, Tong

    Organizations: National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) [21503005]; Beijing Municipal Natural Science Foundation [2154047]; Youth Outreach Project of Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology [BIFTBJ201806]; Australian Research Council [ARC DP150100406, ARC DP190100306]

    Keywords: directional wicking; electrospinning; fibrous membrane; hydrophobic; superhydrophilic

    Previous studies about water harvesting from airborne moisture, which is driven by a directional water transport principle, are based on either a 2D surface or a 1D filament. Porous membranes with a directional water transport capability are seldom used for water harvesting. Herein, a novel hydrophobic/hydrophilic directional-wicking nanofibrous membrane is reported showing enhanced water harvesting ability. In comparison to the hydrophobic or hydrophilic membranes of the same structure and dimension, the directional wicking fibrous membranes have much higher water harvesting capacity. This fantastic water harvesting capability is originated from strong force to draw water from the hydrophobic to the superhydrophilic layer and ever permeable channels formed by the hydrophobic fibrous structure. Larger pores in the hydrophobic layer and smaller pores in the superhydrophilic layer facilitate water harvesting because of the enhanced directional wicking ability. The variation in pore dimension between the hydrophobic and the hydrophilic layers can result in 1.7 times difference in water harvesting capacity. These novel understandings may be useful for the development of advanced water harvesters for various applications.
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