rexresearch.

com

QinetiQ
[R.COHEN,etal.]
DewCollector

http://www.solutionssite.org/artman/publish/article_398.shtml
May30,2008

BeetleBasedWaterHarvesting
By2025,theUnitedNationsforecaststhat1.8billionpeoplewillbelivingincountriesor
regionswithwaterscarcityandtwothirdsoftheworldspopulationcouldbeunderconditionsof
waterstress.
Climatechangeisexpectedtoaggravatewaterproblemsviamoreextremeweatherevents.Many
intelligentandimprovedmanagementoptionscanovercomethesechallengesandonemayrest
ontheextraordinaryabilityoftheNamibDesertbeetle.
Thebeetlelivesinalocationthatreceivesamerehalfaninchofrainayearyetcanharvestwater
fromfogsthatblowingalesacrossthelandseveralmorningseachmonth.
EnterateamfromtheUniversityofOxfordandtheUKdefenseresearchfirmQinetiQ.They
havedesignedasurfacethatmimicsthewaterattractingbumpsandwatersheddingvalleyson
thebeetleswingscalesthatallowstheinsecttocollectandfunneldropletsthinnerthanahuman
hair.
Thepatchworksurfacehingesonsmall,poppyseedsizedglassspheresinalayerofwarmwax
thattestsshowworklikethebeetleswingscales.
Trialshavenowbeencarriedouttousethebeetlefilmtocapturewatervapourfromcooling
towers.Initialtestshaveshownthattheinventioncanreturn10percentoflostwaterandleadto
cutsinenergybillsfornearbybuildingsbyreducingacitysheatsinkeffect.
Anestimated50,000newwatercoolingtowersareerectedannuallyandeachlargesystem
evaporatesandlosesover500millionlitres.

Otherresearchers,somewithfundingfromtheUSDefenseAdvancedResearchAgency,are
mimickingthebeetlewatercollectionsystemtodeveloptentsthatcollecttheirownwaterupto
surfacesthatwillmixreagentsforlabonachipapplications.
http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/ScienceFictionNews.asp?NewsNum=655

NamibDesertBeetlebasedDuneDewCollectors
TheNamibDesertbeetlelivesinoneofthedriestplacesonearthjustonehalfofaninchofrain
peryear.Whenearlymorningfogoffersthehintofmoisture,thebeetleisreadytotakeadrink
fromtheamazingsurfaceonitsback.MITresearchers,inspiredbythebeetle,havecreateda
materialthatcancaptureandcontroltinyamountsofwater.

(TheNamibDesertbeetlephotobyAndrewParker)
Whentheslightestfogblowshorizontallyacrossthebeetle'sback,waterdropletsjust1520
micronsindiameterstarttoaccumulateonthebumpsonitsback.Thebumpsaresurroundedby
waxywaterrepellingchannels.Whenabumpcollectsenoughwatertoformabigdroplet,itrolls
downachannelrightintothebeetle'smouth.
MITresearchersRobertCohenandMichaelRubnerwereinspiredbya2001articleinthe
journalNaturedescribingthebeetle,andthoughtitwouldbeagoodcandidateforbiomimicry
theimitationofanaturalworldsolutiontoaproblem.

(MITresearchersCohenandRubnerinsituintheirlab)
Theirnewlydesignedmaterialcombinesasuperhydrophilic(waterattracting)surfacewith
superhydrophobic(waterrepelling)surface.ATeflonlikesubstanceisappliedtoasurface(for
waterrepulsion)silicananoparticlesandchargedpolymershelpcreatearoughtexturetoattract

droplets.TheresearchwasfundedbyourgoodfriendsatDARPA.
SciencefictionwriterFrankHerbertwroteaboutthissameideainhisremarkable1965novel
Dune.MostofthenoveltakesplaceontheplanetDune,whichhasnoliquidsurfacewateratall.
Inordertoplantvegetation,specialmaterialsareusedtocreatedewcollectors,togathereventhe
tiniestamountofmoisture.
"Eachbush,eachweedyouseeoutthereintheerg,"shesaid,"howdoyousupposeitlives
whenweleaveit?Eachisplantedmosttenderlyinitsownlittlepit.Thepitsarefilledwith
smoothovalsofchromoplastic.Lightturnsthemwhite.Youcanseethemglisteninginthedawn
ifyoulookdownfromahighplace.Whitereflects.ButwhenOldFatherSundeparts,the
chromoplasticrevertstotransparencyinthedark.Itcoolswithextremerapidity.Thesurface
condensesmoistureoutoftheair.Thatmoisturetricklesdowntokeepourplantsalive."
InthedewcollectorsofHerbert'simagination,aspecialmaterialchangesfromlighttodarkin
ordertopullmoistureoutoftheair.CohenandRubner'snewmaterialshouldbeabletodothe
sametrickusingadifferenttechnology.
http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?
KC=A2&date=20080612&NR=2008069848A2&DB=EPODOC&locale=en_EP&CC=WO&FT=D
WO2008069848
NANOPARTICLECOATINGSANDMETHODSOFMAKING
20080612
Inventor(s):GEMICIZEKERIYYA[US]RUBNERMICHAELF[US]COHENROBERT
E
Applicant(s):MASSACHUSETTSINSTTECHNOLOGY[US]GEMICIZEKERIYYA
[US]RUBNERMICHAELF[US]COHENROBERTE[US]
Classification:international:B05D1/12B05D1/36B05D3/02B05D1/12B05D1/36
B05D3/02European:G02B1/11G02B27/00CY01N6/00Y01N10/00
Alsopublishedas:WO2008069848(A3)//US2008038458(A1)
AbstractAsuperhydrophiliccoatingonasubstratecanbeantireflectiveandantifogging.The
coatingcanremainantireflectiveandantifoggingforextendedperiods.Thecoatingcaninclude
oppositelychargeinorganicnanoparticles,andcanbesubstantiallyfreeofanorganicpolymer.
Thecoatingcanbemademechanicallyrobustbyahydrothermalcalcination.
http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?
KC=A2&date=20080806&NR=1952394A2&DB=EPODOC&locale=en_EP&CC=EP&FT=D
EP1952394
SUPERHYDROPHILICCOATINGS
20080806
Inventor(s):ZHAILEI[US]COHENROBERTE[US]RUBNERMICHAELF[US]
CEBECIFEVZIC[US]
Applicant(s):MASSACHUSETTSINSTTECHNOLOGY[US]
Classification:international:G11B5/64G11B5/64European:B05D5/04C03C17/34B
Alsopublishedas:US2007104922(A1)WO2007056427(A2)WO2007056427(A3)
US2007166513(A1)

AbstractAsuperhydrophiliccoatingcanbeantireflectiveandantifogging.Thecoatingcan
remainantireflectiveandantifoggingforextendedperiods.
http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?
KC=A1&date=20081030&NR=2008268229A1&DB=EPODOC&locale=en_EP&CC=US&FT=D
US2008268229
SUPERHYDROPHILICCOATINGS
20081030
Inventor(s):LEEDAEYEON[US]COHENROBERTE[US]RUBNERMICHAELF[US]
Classification:international:B32B5/16B05D1/36B32B5/16B05D1/36European:
C04B35/14C03C17/00BC03C17/00D2C03C17/23C04B35/46
Alsopublishedas:WO2008021817(A2)//WO2008021817(A8)//WO2008021817(A3)
AbstractAsuperhydrophiliccoatingonasubstratecanbeantireflectiveandantifogging.The
coatingcanremainantireflectiveandantifoggingforextendedperiods.Thecoatingcaninclude
oppositelychargeinorganicnanoparticles,andcanbesubstantiallyfreeofanorganicpolymer.
http://v3.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?
KC=A&date=20021030&NR=2374818A&DB=EPODOC&locale=en_EP&CC=GB&FT=D

US7402195
HydrophobicandHydrophilicSurface,forPromotingDropletFormation
LAWRENCE,ChristopherPARKER,Andrew
Classification:international:B01D1/30B01D53/26C02F1/18E03B3/28B01D1/00
B01D53/26C02F1/18E03B3/00(IPC17):B05D5/00B01D5/00B41M5/00European:
B01D1/30BB01D53/26BC02F1/18E03B3/28
Alsopublishedas:GB2374818(B)WO02085484(A1)US2004109981(A1)
US2004109981(A1)US7402195(B2)GB2374818(A)
Citeddocuments:JP9131914(A)JP10249977(A)US5145758(A)WO9923437(A1)
WO9957185(A1)
AbstractThesurfacecomprisesalternatingliquidattracting13,51andliquidrepelling12,52
materials.Thediameterofthedropletsiscontrolledbythesizeofthesmallestdimensionofthe
liquidattractingmaterial.Thesurfacemaybetexturedand/orformapattern.Thesurfaceisused
forcollectingandpurifyingwater.Itisalsousedinaprintingprocess.
CurrentU.S.Class:95/117428/141
CurrentInternationalClass:B01D53/02(20060101)
FieldofSearch:95/117428/141
ReferencesCited[ReferencedBy]
U.S.PatentDocuments
3336206August1967Sasakietal.//5145758September1992Kossmehletal.//5443727
August1995Gagnon
ForeignPatentDocuments
1160262Dec.,2001EP//1188481Mar.,2002EP//1245383Oct.,2002EP//

07256001Oct.,1995JP//407256001Oct.,1995JP//9131914May.,1997JP//1024997
Sep.,1998JP//2000001620Jan.,2000JP//2000308603Nov.,2000JP//WO
99/23437May.,1999WO//WO99/57185Nov.,1999WO//WO02/066253Nov.,2002
WO
Description
Thisinventionrelatestoasurfacesuitableforpromotingtheformationofdropletsofaliquidon
saidsurfaceinsuchamannerastocontrolthedropletdimensions.Theinventionisinparticular
suitableforenablingcollectionofthatliquidfromawindblownfogormist.
Itiswellknownthatcertainmaterialsexhibitsurfacesthatattractwaterwhilstothersactively
repelit,suchmaterialsbeingdescribedashydrophilicandhydrophobicrespectively.Itisalsostill
knownthatwaterisattractedorrepelledduetothefactthatitisapolarliquid,andthatany
similarpolarliquidwillbeinfluencedinthesamemannerbysuchsurfaces.Itshouldalsobe
notedthatnonpolarliquidssuchasoilswillbeattractedtoahydrophobicsurfaceandrepelledby
ahydrophilicsurface.
Thereareanumberofsituationswherethecollectionandstorageofliquidsisofimportance.One
suchsituationiswheretheenvironmentisaridandthereisnoeasilyaccessiblesourceofwater.
Anothersituationcouldbewhenchemicalsareinvapourformduringdistillation.
Itisanobjectofthepresentinventiontoprovideasurfacesuitableforpromotingtheformationof
liquiddropletsofatailoredsize.Itisafurtherobjecttocollectsaiddroplets.
Accordingtoafirstaspectofthepresentinventionasurfacesuitableforpromotingtheformation
ofdropletsofaliquidcomprisesregionsofliquidrepellingandliquidattractingmaterial
alternatinginatleastonedirectionacrossthesurfacewherebythediameterofthedropletsis
controlledbythesizeofthesmallestdimensionoftheliquidattractingmaterial.
Iftheliquidispolar,hydrophilicregionsofthesurfaceattractthepolarliquidandthe
hydrophobicregionsrepelthepolarliquid.Iftheliquidisanoil,thehydrophobicregionsattract
theliquidandthehydrophilicregionsrepeltheliquid.
Thesmallestdimension(thewidth)oftheliquidattractingregionsdeterminesthesizeofthe
droplettobeformed.Thereisamaximumdiameterthatastabledropletcanattainwhichis
relatedtothewidthoftheliquidattractingregions.Theliquidrepellingregionsseparatingthe
liquidattractingregionsarepreferablyofatleastthesamewidth,soastopreventoverlapof
dropletsonneighbouringliquidattractingregions.
Preferably,theliquidattractingregionstaketheformofdiscreteregionsonaliquidrepelling
substratei.e.eachliquidattractingregionisisolatedfromotherliquidattractingregions.This
enablesthedropletstoforminisolation,constrainingthemintwodimensionsandlimitingtheir
surfacecontactareawiththeliquidattractingsubstrate(andhencetheiradhesiontothesurface).
Inapreferredembodiment,thesurfaceistexturedsuchthattheregionsofliquidattracting
materialprotrudeinrelationtotheregionsofliquidrepellingmaterial.Thisallowsforthe
droplets,whenformed,tositproudinrelationtotheliquidrepellingregions,andencourages
detachmentofthedropletsfromtheliquidattractingmaterialwhenaspecifieddropletsizeis
attainedi.e.whenthediameterofthedroplethasreacheditsmaximumstablesize.
Preferablythesaidsmallestdimensionoftheliquidattractingmaterialregionsismorethan150
.mu.m,morepreferablymorethan200.mu.m,andforcertainapplicationsispreferablymorethan

300.mu.m,400.mu.m,500.mu.m,orevenatleast600.mu.m.Preferablythesaidsmallest
dimensionisinthesaidonedirectionofthesurface.Ifthesaidsmallestdirectionisinanother
directionfromthesaidonedirection,theninthesaidonedirectionthesmallestdimensionofthe
liquidattractingmaterialregioninthesaidonedirectionpreferablyalsohasthestatedpreferred
minimumsizes(morethan150,200,300,400,500,oratleast600.mu.m).
Thesaidsurfaceispreferablysubstantiallyplanar.Itisalsoenvisagedthatthesurfacemaybe
curved,e.g.concaveorconvex,orbeacombinationofcurvedandsubstantiallyplanarparts.
Wherewesaythatasurfaceissubstantiallyplanar,thisspecificallyincludessubstantiallyplanar
surfaceswithregionsprojectingorprotrudingfromthesurface,e.g.protrudingabovethesurface.
Thesurfaceispreferablydesignedinusetobeinclinedtothehorizontalplane.Thisisdescribed
inmoredetailbelowwithreferencetoothercategoriesoftheinvention.Itismentionedhere
because,especiallywherethesurfaceissubstantiallyplanar,thesaidonedirectionofthesaid
surfaceispreferablythedirectionofthesurfacethatdefinestheincline.Morespecifically,when
thesurfaceisinclinedtheangleofinclinationispreferablydefinedastheanglebetweenthe
horizontalandanylinedrawnalongthesurfaceinthesaidonedirection.
Preferablythesaidsmallestdimensionoftheliquidattractingregionisatmost5mm,more
preferablyatmost4mm,andforcertainapplicationsispreferablyatmost3mm,2mm,1mm,or
0.8mm(800.mu.m).
Wherewetalkaboutthesmallestdimensionoftheliquidattractingregionthiswilltypicallybe
thewidth,dependingontheshapeoftheregion.Thus,forexampleiftheliquidattractingregions
areintheshapeofstripes,itwillbethewidthofthestripes.Similarlyiftheliquidattracting
regionsareintheshapeofdiscretedots,itwillbethewidthordiameterofthedots.Forotherless
regularshapesitwillbewhateveristhesmallestdimensioninanydirection.Preferablywhere
thereareapluralityofliquidattractingregionsthesewillallbeofsimilarshapeandsize.
Howeveritisenvisagedthatcombinationsofshapesandsizesofliquidattractingregionscould
alsobeused.
Theliquidrepellingregionsarepreferablyatleastaswideastheliquidattractingregions,and
possiblytwiceaswide.Preferablythewidthordistanceofliquidrepellingregionseparating
adjacentliquidattractingregionsisatleast400.mu.m,morepreferablyatleast600.mu.m,
especiallyatleast800.mu.m,orevenatleast1or2mm.
Asmentionedabovethesmallestdimensionoftheliquidattractingregionscontrolthediameterof
thedropletsformedonthesurface.Thiscanbestbeexplainedbyconsideringapreferred
substantiallyplanarsurfaceinitspreferredusepositioninwhichitisinclinedtothehorizontal.In
thisorientation,whensmallliquiddropletsfromavapouradjacentthesurfacestriketheinclined
surface,iftheystrikealiquidattractingregionthentheymayformadropletattachedtotheliquid
attractingregion,butiftheystrikealiquidrepellingregiontheywillrolldowntheinclined
surfacetothenearestliquidattractingregion.Thedropletsgrow,byjoiningwithotherdroplets
thatattachtothesameliquidattractingregion,untiltheyreachapointatwhichtheirsurface
contactareacoverstheliquidattractingregion.Beyondthissizethedropletsaregaininginmass
withoutanyincreaseincontactarea,sothatthedroplethastomoveintotheliquidrepelling
regions.Asthishappenstheforceofgravityincreaseswithoutanyincreaseinsurfaceadhesion,
causingthedroplettomovedowntheinclinedslope.Ifthesurfaceisinacalmenvironmentthe
dropletswillfalldirectlydowntheslope,butifthesurfaceisfacingintoaheadwindthedroplets
maybeblownrandomlyacrossthesurfacebythewind.Preferablythesurfacespacingandthe
sizeoftheliquidattractingregionsissufficientlylargethatthedropletswillrolldowntheslope
onlyoncetheyaresufficientlyheavytorolldirectlydownwardsevenagainstaheadwind.

Accordingtoasecondaspectofthepresentinventionamethodofcollectingaliquidcarriedby
orcondensedoutofavapourcomprisespassingavapouracrossasurfaceandcollectingdroplets
ofliquidformedonthesurfaceincollectingmeanswhereinthesurfacecomprisesalternating
regionsofliquidrepellingandliquidattractingmaterialinatleastonedirectionacrossthesurface
andthecollectingmeansisdisposedsoastocollectdropsformedonthesurface.
Thesurfacewillusuallybeamanmadesurface,andthemethodmaycompriseaninitialstepof
selectingthesmallestdimensionoftheliquidattractingregionssoastodeterminethedropletsize
havingregardtotheprevailingenvironmentalconditions.
Throughoutthisspecification,thetermvapourisusedtoembracemediabothinanentirely
gaseousstateandalsoinwhichliquiddropletsaresuspendedinthegasformingforexamplea
fogoramist.
Preferablythesurfaceisinclinedtothehorizontalplane.Thisenablesthedropletstoflowunder
theinfluenceofgravitytowardsthecollectingmeanswhichisacontainerofsomedescription.
Accordingtoathirdaspectofthepresentinventionasystemforcollectingaliquidcomprisesa
surfacehavingalternatingregionsofliquidrepellingandliquidattractingmaterialinatleastone
directionacrossthesurfaceandcollectionmeans,wherebyonthemovementofavapouracross
thesurface,dropletswithinthevapourcollectintolargerdropletsonthesurfaceandarecollected
bythecollectionmeans.
Inapreferredmethodandsystemaccordingtotheinventionforcollectingaliquid,thesurfaceis
preferablyinclinedtothehorizontalplanebyanangleofatleast5.degree.,morepreferablyat
least10.degree..Forcertainapplicationsthesurfaceispreferablyinclinedbyatleast
20.degree.,30.degree.,oreven40.degree..Preferablythesurfaceisinclinedatmost90.degree.,
especiallyatmost80.degree.,orsometimesatmost70.degree..Theangleofincline,likethe
widthoftheliquidattractingregions,isoneofthefactorsdeterminingwhenadropletformingon
thesurfacewillrolldowntheslopeforcollection.
Thesurface,andthemethodandsystemforcollectingaliquidareparticularlyapplicablefor
collectingliquidfromavapourthatismovingacrossthesurface.Thiswillbethecase,for
exampleinaheadwind.
Thebehaviourofdropletsofliquidfallingonvarioussurfaces,particularlywhereinclinedinto
theheadwindmaybedescribedasfollows.Foravapourcarryingheadwindstrikinganentirely
liquidattractingsurfaceoranentirelyliquidrepellingsurface,theliquiddropletswouldformon
thesurfaceinvarioussizesbutwouldnotamalgamate.Thesewouldthereforebeblownin
randomdirectionsacrossthesurfacebytheheadwind.Forthesurfaceofthepresentinvention
alternateregionsofliquidattractingandrepellingregionsareprovided.Dropletswilleitherstrike
theliquidattractingregionsandstaythere,orrolltothenearestliquidattractingregionifthey
initiallylandonaliquidrepellingregion.Thesedropletsamalgamateuntiltheyaresolargethat
nofurtherpurchaseontheliquidattractingregionispossible.Atthistimetheywillrollaway(if
thesurfaceisinclined).
Wherethesurfaceisinclineditispreferablyinclinedtofaceanyheadwind.Typicalpreferred
headwindsaccordingtotheinventionmaybeatmost,oroftheorderof5ms.sup.1,10
ms.sup.1,15ms.sup.1or20ms.sup.1.Theheadwindisanotherfactorthataffectswhendroplet
formingonthesurfacewillrolldowntheslopeforcollectiontoolargeaheadwind(forthesizeof
dropandangleofsurfaceincline)willcauseadroptoberandomlyblownacrossthesurface,
ratherthanrollingdirectlydownforcollection.

Wherereferenceismadeto"headwind"thismaybeinanaturalenvironment,orinacontrolled
environmentsuchasadistillationoradehumidifierunit.
Preferablythesmallestdimensionoftheliquidattractingregionsisselectedsothatitcanbeused
inavarietyofheadwinds,byappropriatevariationofslope,suchthatinthiscontrolledmanner
thedropletsalwaysgrowtoasufficientlylargesizebeforerollingdowntheslopetobeheavy
enoughtorolldirectlydowntheslopeevenagainsttheheadwind.
Preferablythearrangementofliquidattractingandrepellingregionsonthesurfaceissuchthat
alonganylinedrawnalongthesurfaceinthesaidonedirectiontherewillbealternatingliquid
attractingandliquidrepellingregions.Thesaidonedirectionispreferablythedirectionwhich
togetherwiththehorizontaldefinestheangleoftilt,sothatwiththisarrangementanydroprolling
downtheslopeinthesaidonedirectionwillalwaysmeetaliquidattractingregionasitrolls.This
arrangementcanbeforexampleprovidedbystripesofliquidattractingandrepellingregions
crossing,preferablyperpendiculartothesaidonedirection.Asanotherexampletheremaybe
mentioneddiscreteportions,e.g.dots,ofliquidattractingregionsinasurroundofliquidrepelling
material,theliquidattractingdiscreteportionsbeingoffsetlaterallytoeachotherrelativetothe
saidonedirection.Thus,dotsinadjacentrowsmaybestaggeredwithrespecttoeachothersoas
topreventtherebeingaclear"uphill"pathofliquidrepellingregionsalongwhichdropletscould
beblownaway.
Inthemethodofcollectingaliquidaccordingtothepresentinvention,andinthesystemfor
collectingaliquidaccordingtothepresentinventionthepathintothecollectingmeansof
substantiallyalltheliquidispreferablyacrossbothliquidattractingandliquidrepellingregions.
Theaforementionedmethodand/orsystemforcollectingaliquidmaybeawatercollection
methodorsystembeingusedorintendedforuseinanarid/desertenvironmentandadaptedto
collectatleast100ml,preferablyatleast0.5landideallyatleast1lperweek.
Accordingtoafourthaspectofthepresentinventionamethodofspreadingaliquidacrossa
surfacecomprisesprovidingasurfacehavingalternatingregionsofliquidrepellingandliquid
attractingmaterialinatleastonedirectionacrossthesurface,placingaliquidonthesurfaceand
spreadingtheliquidacrossthesurfaceusingspreadingmeans.
Preferably,theregionsofliquidattractingmaterialcompriseapatternwherebyonplacingasheet
ofprintingmaterialoverthesurface,thepatternproducedbythepositioningoftheliquid
attractingmaterialistransferredtothesheetofprintingmaterial.
Bytailoringthesurfaceasdescribedpreviouslyitispossibletodictatethemaximumsizeofthe
dropletsheldattheliquidattractingregionswhenthesurfaceistilted,orotherwisetreatedto
removeexcessliquid,andhencedictatethedensityanddistributionofliquid,forexampleinink.
Thepatternedregionmaybemadebyacontinuousliquidattractingregion,ormorepreferablyby
apluralityofdiscreteliquidattractingregions,e.g.apluralityofliquidattractingdots,surrounded
byliquidrepellingregions.Thelatterconfigurationbettercontrollingthedensityanddistribution
ofliquid,e.g.ink
Asurfaceashereinbeforedescribedhastheaddedadvantagethatitmaybeselfcleaning.The
surfacepromotesdropletformationandthosedropletsmaybedirectedundertheinfluenceof
gravity.Asthedropletsmoveoverthesurface,smallparticleswillbepickedupbythedroplets
andthusremovedfromthesurface.

Inafurtheraspecttheinventionprovidesawatercollectionkitthatmaybeassembledtoforma
collectionsystemasdescribedabove,thekitcomprisingthesurface,supportmeansfor
supportingthesurfaceatadesiredinclination,andcollectionmeans.Thekitmayformpartofa
portablesurvivalkit.
Anumberofembodimentsoftheinventionwillnowbedescribedbywayofexampleonly,with
referencetothedrawings,ofwhich:
FIG.1isaschematicobliqueillustrationofasurfaceaccordingtothepresentinvention.

FIG.2showsanalternativesurfaceaccordingtothepresentinvention.

FIGS.3aand3dshowaschematicsectionalillustrationofatexturedsurfaceaccordingtothe
presentinvention.

FIG.4showsaschematicsectionalillustrationofatexturedsurfacesuitableforcollectinga
liquidaccordingtothepresentinvention.

FIGS.5aand5billustratesasurfacesuitableforamethodofprintingaccordingtothepresent
invention.

FIG.5cshowsanalternativesurfacesuitableforamethodofprintingaccordingtothepresent
invention.
Fig1showsasurface1havinghydrophobic2andhydrophilic3regions.
Thehydrophobic2andhydrophilic3regionsalternateacrossthesurface1andformastriped
pattern.Anefficientsurfaceforthecollectionofwaterfromwindblownfogsconsistsof600to
800micronwidthhydrophilicregionsspacedaminimumof800micronsapartonahydrophobic
substrate.Thisallowsfortheformationofdropletsofasizewhereby,undertheinfluenceof
gravityonatiltedsurface,thedropletsflowdownwardsintoamoderateheadwind.
FIG.2showsasurface10havinghydrophobic12andhydrophilic13regions.
Thehydrophobicregions12formagridstructureacrossthesurface10.Thehydrophilicregions
13,areraisedabovethehydrophobicregions12formingatexturedsurface.Whenavapouris
passedoverthesurface10,dropletswithinthevapourareattractedtothehydrophilicregions13.
Afteraperiodoftime,largerdropletsofliquidbegintoformonthehydrophilicregions13asthe
smalldropletsinthevapourcombineonthesurface.Whenthedropletsreachacertainsize,they
movefromonehydrophilicregion13atoanotherhydrophilicregion13bundertheinfluenceof
gravity.
FIGS.3ato3dshowatexturedsurface20inclinedtothehorizontalplanehavinghydrophobic
22andhydrophilic23regions.

Thehydrophilicregions23protrudeinrelationtothehydrophobicregions22.Whensmall
dropletsfromawindblownvapourstrikethetiltedsurface20thentheymayformadroplet24
attachedtoahydrophilicregion23.Assuchdropletsgrowlarger(byjoiningwithotherdroplets
thatattachtothesurfaceorbygettinglarger),thedropswillreachapointatwhichtheirsurface
contactareacoversthehydrophilicregion23,asisshowninFIG.3b,25.Beyondthissizethey
aregaininginmasswithoutacorrespondingincreaseinsurfacecontactarea,asshowninFIG.
3c,26,thereafter,thedropletmustnowexpandintothewaterrepellinghydrophobicregionsof
thesurface,showninFIG.3d,27.Asthishappensthegravitationalforcesonthedropletincrease
withoutacorrespondingincreaseinsurfaceadhesion,andeventuallythedropletwillmovedown
theslope.Bytailoringtheslopeofthesurface,thesizeandspacingofthehydrophilicregions,
andtheexacthydrophobicityandhydrophilicityofthesurfaceregions,dropletsofatailored
diametercanbeformedthatcanrollintotheheadwindofthewindblownfogormistandbe
collectedatthelowestpointofthetiltedsurface.Incertaincontrolledenvironments,suchas
duringdistillation,thewindspeedmayalsobecontrolledandtailored.
Itshouldbenotedthatsmalldropletsstrikingahydrophobicsurfacewouldimmediatelybefreeto
rollacrossthatsurface,butarelikelytobeblownawaybytheprevailingwindduetotheirsmall
size,andmaysimplybouncefromthesurfacebackintothevapour.Ifthesurfacewereentirely
hydrophilicthenthedropletswouldformafilmthatwouldmoveinamorerandomfashion,ifat
all,andlimitthespeedandefficiencyofthewatercollectionprocess.
Whendropletsmoveonsuchatailoredsurface,theymayalsobeguidedbythehydrophilic
regions,thesurfaceattractionbeingsufficienttoinfluencetheirdirectionandspeedofmotion.
Thiswouldparticularlybethecaseiftheliquidattractingregionsformedchannelsorstripeson
thehydrophobicsurface.
Atexturedsurfaceasdescribedabovecanmanufacturedusingavarietyoftechniques.Clean
(greasefree)glasssurfacesarehydrophilic,andhenceglasscanbecombinedwithhydrophobic
materialssuchaswaxesinordertoproduceappropriatepatterns.Glassbeadsof800micron
diametercanbepartiallyembeddedintoawaxfilmtoproduceanarrayofhydrophilic
hemispheresonahydrophobicsubstrate.Acleanglasssurfacecanbemadehydrophobicby
exposuretomaterialssuchashexamethyldisilazane,andthismaybeusedincombinationwith
contactmaskstoproduceanappropriatepatternofhydrophilicregions.Surfacetexturingcanbe
achievedviatechniquessuchasthemouldingandhotpressingofplastics,whichcan
subsequentlybetreatedwithhydrophilic/hydrophobicsurfacecoatings.
FIG.4showsaschematicsectionalillustrationofatexturedsurface30suitableforcollecting
liquid35havingasurface31withhydrophobic32andhydrophilic33regions.Acollector34is
positionedbelowthesurface.
Whenavapourispassedoverthesurface30,dropletsinthevapourareattractedtothe
hydrophilicregions33.Afteraperiodoftime,largerdropletsofliquidbegintoformonthe
hydrophilicregions33asmoreandmoresmalldropletsfromthevapourareattractedtothe
surface.Whenthedropletsreachacertainsize,theymoveundertheinfluenceofgravity.The
hydrophilicregions33aretaperedtowardsthecollector34andthedropletstendtomovefrom
onehydrophilicregiontoanothersotheliquidfromanumberofhydrophilicregions33is
collectedinonecollector34.
Anapplicationofsuchasurfacewouldbeindistillationprocesses,forexample,topurifya
liquid.Ifavapouristobecooledandcollecteditisoftenpassedthroughatubethatisenclosedin
acoolingsystem(e.g.asecondtubethroughwhichcoldwaterflows).Vapourcondensesonthe
wallsoftheinnertubeandrunsdowntoacollector.Sinceanyvapourthatcondensesintoafilm

onthisinnerwallinsulatestheremainingvapourfromthecoldsurface,theinnertubeis
sometimescoatedwithahydrophobicmaterialtoencouragecondenseddropletstoquicklyflow
downwards.However,smallvapourdropletsaremorelikelytoberepelledfromthehydrophobic
walls,beingdeflectedbackintothevapourandhenceslowingthecollectionprocess.Also,ifthe
vapouristravellinginaspecificdirection(e.g.risingupaverticalpipeviaconvectioncurrents)
thensmalldropletsarelesslikelytofalldownwardsagainstthevapourflow.Forsuch
applicationsatexturedhydrophobic/liquidattractingsurfacesuchasthosedescribedabovewould
improvetheefficiencyofthedistillationprocess.
FIG.5aillustratesasurface50havinginkattracting51andinkrepelling52regions.Theink
repellingregions52formordefinearecognisableshape.Ink54(notshown)isspreadacrossthe
surface50.
Ink54isattractedtotheinkattracting51regionsandrepelledfromtheinkrepellingregions52
showninFIG.5b.Thiscausestheink54toonlybepresentonthesurface50intheinkattracting
regions51.Asheetofpaper(notshown)placedoverthesurface50resultsinatransferofink
fromthesurface50tothepaperandthusinproductionofaprintoftherecognisableshapeor
negativethereof.
Whicheverregionisinkattractingandinkrepellingdependsonwhethertheinkisoilorwater
based.
FIG.5cshowsanalternativesurface50'havingapluralityofdenselydistributeddiscretedot
shapedinkattractingregions51'inasurroundormatrixofinkrepellingmaterial60.Theseink
attractingregions51'inasurroundormatrixofinkrepellingmaterial60formapattern(whichis
theletter"A"intheFigure).Thepatternregionisinabackgroundofinkrepellingmaterial52as
inthepreviousembodiment.Ink54(notshown)isspreadacrossthesurface50'.Asinthe
previousembodiment,inkisattractedtotheregions51'.Inkisrepelledfromregions60and52.
Thediscretedotnatureoftheliquidattractingregions51'inthe"A"patternbettercontrolsthe
densityoftheinkheldonthepatterncomparedwiththecontinuousliquidattractingregion51of
theFIGS.5aand5bembodiment.Thepatterncanthenbeprintedbytransfertoasheetofpaper
asintheFIGS.5a/5bembodiment.

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