Bioinspired fog water harvesting: interfacial physics, materials design, and multifunctional integration

To alleviate escalating global water scarcity, bioinspired strategies for efficient atmospheric water collectors have attracted considerable attention in arid but foggy regions. Conventional fog collectors are often limited by low efficiency and clogging, whereas early bioinspired studies frequently focused on isolated biological features. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in bioinspired fog water collection. Beginning with the fundamental physical mechanisms governing droplet motion, we analyze three core design strategies: geometric configurations (e.g., conical and spindle-knot structures), interfacial energy modulation (e.g., hydrophilic/hydrophobic patterns and super-slippery surfaces), and aerodynamic regulation (e.g., three-dimensional vortex structures and active aerodynamic control). We further reveal the technological evolution from single-feature bioinspiration to multi-mechanism synergy. As for the development of future fog collecting systems, we also highlight recent advances in water-energy-environment multifunctional integrated systems that can simultaneously harvest water, generate electricity, purify contaminants, and produce nutrients (e.g., nitrogen fertilizer), which are achieved by integrating triboelectric nanogenerators, photocatalytic degradation, and electrocatalytic nitrogen fixation. Finally, we summarize the key challenges facing bioinspired fog collection technologies, including durability, scalable fabrication, and practical deployment, and discuss future directions such as AI-assisted design, lifecycle-stable materials, and self-sufficient resource systems. This review aims to provide theoretical guidance for the development of next-generation fog harvesting technologies exhibiting high efficiency, long-term durability, and sustainability.