Hydrophobic Fibers with Hydrophilic Domains for Enhanced Fog Water Harvesting.

ABSTRACT: Fog water collectors (FWCs) present a sustainable solution for arid regions where fog is a primary water source. To improve their efficiency, we developed a durable and high-performance mesh composed of electrospun hydrophobic thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) fibers combined with hydrophilic cellulose acetate (CA) microbeads. This hybrid design represents a novel biomimetic strategy, mimicking natural fog-harvesting mechanisms by optimizing wetting and drainage. Despite the significant reduction in average fiber diameter, the TPU-CA mesh maintained mechanical strength close to 1 MPa, comparable to pristine TPU. The introduction of hydrophilic domains into a hydrophobic fibrous network is a unique architectural approach that enhanced fog collection performance, achieving a high water harves

SUBMITTER: Knapczyk-Korczak J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12899429 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature