Fabrication of bioinspired 3D-printed microtextures for efficient water harvesting using plasma treatment
<p dir="ltr">Water harvesting from the air offers a promising solution to<u> water scarcity</u> in <u>arid environments</u>. A Namib Desert beetle is an inspiration for this purpose because of the unique combination of <u>hydrophilic</u> and hydrop...
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2025
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| Summary: | <p dir="ltr">Water harvesting from the air offers a promising solution to<u> water scarcity</u> in <u>arid environments</u>. A Namib Desert beetle is an inspiration for this purpose because of the unique combination of <u>hydrophilic</u> and hydrophobic areas on its wing scales to collect water; this study mimicked a similar system by creating hydrophilic patterns on a <u>hydrophobic polymer</u> substrate. <u>Polydimethylsiloxane</u> (PDMS) was chosen because of its hydrophobic character. The <u>hydrophobicity</u> of PDMS was improved through 3D micropatterning or modification by<u> Silica</u> (SiO<sub>2</sub>) <u>nanoparticles</u> to increase <u>surface roughness</u>. On the other hand, hydrophilicity is achieved by selective treatment of specific surface areas with low-temperature plasma. The fabricated microstructures were characterized using various analytical and imaging techniques to assess their morphology, chemical composition, and <u>wettability</u>. The water collection efficiency of the PDMS samples was tested using a <u>humidifier</u> as the water source, achieving a maximum rate of 1.14 ± 0.06 g/cm²h.</p><h2 dir="ltr">Other Information</h2><p dir="ltr">Published in: Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering<br>License: <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</a><br>See article on publisher's website: <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2025.115713" target="_blank">https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2025.115713</a></p> |
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