Simple Fabrication of Water Harvesting Surfaces Using Three-Dimensional Printing Technology

A biomimetic surface for water collection was successfully engineered using three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. The fused deposition modeling-type 3D printing was used to create a reusable mold. This was used to cast waveform microstructures on a hydrophobic polymer surface, which was induced by using stacked filaments. The etching was performed on the printed mold by using a chemical solvent to generate nano/micro pores, which enhanced the rolling-off motion of water droplets. To create a hydrophilic region on the hydrophobic surface, the metal deposition was achieved using a 3D-printed mask and the self-masking effect of the tilted tips of waveform microstructures. The metal array served as seeding points for the growth of water droplets in foggy conditions. As a result, the fabricated biomimetic surface exhibited the highest water-collecting performance (average 0.77 g for 10 min) compared with the other four different surfaces. This study demonstrates the use of 3D printing technology to rapidly and simply fabricate engineered (hybrid) surfaces for various applications involving facile control of wettability.

Automated summary

A biomimetic surface for water collection was engineered using 3D printing technology, creating reusable molds and waveform microstructures on a hydrophobic polymer surface. Chemical etching was used to enhance water droplet motion, while metal deposition and self-masking effects created hydrophilic regions for water droplet seeding. The fabricated surface demonstrated superior water-collecting performance compared to other surfaces, showcasing the potential of 3D printing for developing engineered surfaces with controlled wettability.