Bioinspired network of MOF-nanofibril-humped fibers as high-efficiency water harvester

Atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) technology offers a sustainable and innovative solution to address water scarcity in arid and remote regions, with its performance primarily dependent on the water adsorption capacity and kinetics of the adsorbent materials. However, conventional materials still face efficiency limitations under high-humidity conditions. Inspired by the unique hump structure of spider silk, this work innovatively develops bioinspired porous nanofibril-humped fibers (BPNF) through a green synthesis approach. The hierarchical porous architecture is constructed via radical polymerization and aqueous-phase in situ growth of MOF-303, eliminating the need for toxic reagents, while microfluidic spinning enables bionic hump structuring with minimal energy consumption. By integrating micro/nanochannels and hydrophilic surface modifications, the material achieves synergistic optimization of low diffusion resistance and high water harvest efficiency. MOF-303 is completed through in-situ hydrothermal growth and ensures the environmental friendliness of the synthesis process. Experimental results demonstrates that the BPNF achieves a remarkable water harvesting rate of 1.63 g cm −2  h −1 at 90–100 % RH, outperforming conventional materials by 2.3 times, with a 62 % reduction in carbon footprint. This work establishes a new paradigm for designing high-efficiency, sustainable AWH materials, combining biomimetic structural engineering with green manufacturing principles. This study provides insight into the design of novel AWH materials, which can be extended to some practical applications, e.g., water engineering in industry or agriculture systems.