Liquid mobility on superwettable surfaces for applications in energy and the environment

Abstract

Liquid mobility on super-wettable materials is of interest for enhanced heat transfer, self-cleaning, anti-fouling, anti-icing, water-harvesting, and oil-water separation. Here, we review different mechanisms related to liquid mobility on super-wettable materials, encompassing some classical wetting theories and liquid transport behaviors observed on biological surfaces with special textures. Then, the different categories of liquid behaviors on super-wettability materials are summarized, focusing on recent progress on vertical motion (droplet self-propelling and bouncing), horizontal transportation (transportation on one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) materials), and interfacial penetration (oil-water penetration and water penetration). Along these lines, we also review the latest applications in energy and the environment, followed by presenting the outlook and key challenges.