Researchers have devised their own version of a superhydrophobic surface, which often consists of microscopic or nanoscale spikes that can drive droplets that fall on the surface and can even result in tiny droplets of It bounces off the surface, but this does not always work, and if water vapor gets into the spikes during condensation, the spikes will pinch the droplets.
In a recent study, the researchers designed a 3D network of vertically aligned copper nanowires wrapped in super-waterproof material on the sides and a very compact network that prevents water from entering the center of the wire. The result: Shortly after the water droplets started to condense from the vapor state, they bounced off the surface, and the researchers reported this in a recent Joule magazine when they did so. The heat gained from the surface.
The researchers found that the copper nanowire surface can remove twice as much heat as the best materials ever, and that such surfaces can be used to improve many applications from desalination to electronic cooling.