Water scarcity is a global problem
and collecting water from the
air is a viable solution to this crisis. Inspired by Namib Desert
beetle, leaf venation and spider silk, we designed an integrated biomimetic
system with hybrid wettability and wettability gradient. The hybrid
hydrophilic–hydrophobic wettability design that bionomics desert
beetle’s back can construct a three-dimensional topography
with a water layer on the surface, expanding the contact area with
the fog flow and thus improving the droplet trapping efficiency. The
venation-like structure with wettability gradient not only provides
a planned path for water transportation, but also accelerates water
removal under the synergistic effect of gravity and wettability driving
force, thus further improving the surface regeneration rate. The collector
combines droplet capture, coalescence, transportation, separation,
and storage capabilities, which provides new ideas for the design
of future high-efficiency fog collectors.