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.

Your Support Maintains this Service -- and Your Survival ...

The

RexResearchCivilizationKit

... It's Your Best Bet & Investment in Sustainable Humanity on Earth ... Everything @ rexresearch.com, plus the Bonus Files CD ! ORDER PAGE << $13, Postpaid Anywhere >>

Rex Research, POB 19250, Jean, NV 89019 USA