Unidirectional Moisture Delivery via a Janus Photothermal Interface for Indoor Dehumidification: A Smart Roof

Abstract

Rational control of the humidity in specific environments plays an important role in green building, equipment protection, etc. A smart apparatus that can actively expel inner moisture and largely prevent outer liquid penetration can be highly desirable. Through the integration of the Janus interface with unidirectional liquid manipulation and the solar evaporating layer, here, a Janus solar dehumidifying interface (JSDI) is designed for the switchable moisture management of an indoor environment. By covering with the JSDI roof, the continuous elimination of inner water is achieved via outward condensate delivery and solar evaporation on sunny days. On rainy days, JSDI with a hydrophobic lower surface can largely hamper inward liquid leakage and then spontaneously drain the accumulated water via a siphoning structure. The real-world water evaporation rate via the JSDI is ≈0.38 kg m−2 h−1 on an autumn day, showing a promising function of in situ moisture expelling. In addition, the JSDI is made of natural materials that are easy to scale up with a cost of four dollars per square meter. It is envisioned that the JSDI may meet the wide requirements of indoor dehumidification and update the understanding of the integration of Janus interfaces and solar steam generation.