WO3-based slippery coatings with long-term stability for efficient fog harvesting.

Abstract

Inspired by Nepenthes pitcher plants, slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPSs) have attracted wide attention and exhibited remarkable liquid repellency, droplet motion control and antifouling properties. However, lubricant-impregnated surfaces have poor durability, leading to loss of control of the movements of droplets during applications. Herein, WO3-based slippery coatings with high stability were prepared by the spray method and photocatalytic reaction. Notably, on the basis of the hierarchical structures, the strong intermolecular forces between the polydimethylsiloxane brush and silicone oil led to the formation of a stable lubricant layer on the WO3-based slippery coating, which can suppress lubricant loss during water collection. After a series of stability tests, such as high-speed centrifugation, long-term storage, acidic solution and multiple heating/cooling cycles, the biomimetic slippery surface still displays excellent surface-slippery stability. Furthermore, the slippery surface exhibits superior water mist capture, water droplet expansion and harvested water removal abilities, leading to good water collection performance. The silicone oil content in the collected water was 28\xa0mg/L, demonstrating that the loss of oil was lower during the water collection process. Even under harsh environments, including multiple heating/cooling cycles, long-term storage and high shear force, lubricant-impregnated coatings can also maintain good water collection efficiency. Therefore, these slippery coatings are promising for widespread application.