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Surface morphology enhances deposition efficiency in biomimetic, wind-driven fog collection.

ABSTRACT: Passive interception of fog from the wind is an effective solution for accessing water in regions where fog is frequent and other sources scarce. A Namib Desert beetle is often cited as bioinspiration for further advancement, in a narrative which focuses on patterned wettability of its bumpy elytra as a means of transporting accumulated water from its back to its mouth. However, surface transport in fog collection is secondary to the role of the fluid dynamics of droplet deposition, in which inertial droplets migrate across diverging streamlines approaching an obstruction. 3D geometry of biological surface features inevitably affect this process, but its specific role in flow physics of fog collection has not previously been explored. Here, we report experimental measurements of deposition efficiency of targets with identical surface chemistry but varying surface morphology. We find a nearly threefold increase in collection upon addition of millimetric bumps to a spherical target, and provide insight into the micromechanics underlying the performance. Modifying surface morphology can be easier than overall geometry for both manufactured structures and evolved organisms and should therefore be both considered in the design of separation devices and expected in other biological systems for which extraction of particles from flow is important.

SUBMITTER: Shahrokhian A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7276540 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundLow-cost face masks made from different cloth materials are very common in developing countries. The cloth masks (CM) are usually double layered with stretchable ear loops. It is common practice to use such masks for months after multiple washing and drying cycles. If a CM is used for long time, the ear loops become stretched. The loop needs to be knotted to make the mask loop fit better on the face. It is not clear how washing and drying and stretching practices change the quality of a CM. The particulate matter (PM) filtering efficiency of a mask depends on multiple parameters, such as pore size, shape, clearance, and pore number density. It is important to understand the effect of these parameters on the filtering efficiency.MethodsWe characterized the surface of twenty different types of CMs using optical image analysis method. The filtering efficiency of selected cloth face masks was measured using the particle counting method. We also studied the effects of washing and drying and stretching on the quality of a mask.ResultsThe pore size of masks ranged from 80 to 500 μm, which was much bigger than particular matter having diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5) and 10 μm or less (PM10) size. The PM10 filtering efficiency of four of the selected masks ranged from 63% to 84%. The poor filtering efficiency may have arisen from larger and open pores present in the masks. Interestingly, we found that efficiency dropped by 20% after the 4th washing and drying cycle. We observed a change in pore size and shape and a decrease in microfibers within the pores after washing. Stretching of CM surface also altered the pore size and potentially decreased the filtering efficiency. As compared to CMs, the less frequently used surgical/paper masks had complicated networks of fibers and much smaller pores in multiple layers in comparison to CMs, and therefore had better filtering efficiency. This study showed that the filtering efficiency of cloth face masks were relatively lower, and washing and drying practices deteriorated the efficiency. We believe that the findings of this study will be very helpful for increasing public awareness and help governmental agencies to make proper guidelines and policies for use of face mask.

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Surface morphology enhances deposition efficiency in biomimetic, wind-driven fog collection.

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