Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	EP/J005401/1
Title:	ECO-SUSTAINABLE FOG COLLECTION IN ARID CLIMATES
Principal Investigator:	Badyal, Professor JP
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	Chemistry
Organisation:	Durham, University of
Scheme:	Standard Research
Starts:	03 September 2012	Ends:	02 September 2018	Value (£):	1,190,209
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Evolution & populations Materials Characterisation Plant physiology Plant responses to environment Surfaces & Interfaces
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Environment
Related Grants:
Panel History:	Panel Date Panel Name Outcome 01 Dec 2011 EPSRC Physical Sciences Chemistry - December 2011 Announced
Summary on Grant Application Form
Approximately one billion people live without access to clean water sources in rural areas of African, Asian and Latin American countries. Therefore the issue of water shortage and scarcity is one of major global concern. In contrast indigenous plants found in such arid and semi-arid locations readily cope with insufficient access to fresh water and lack of precipitation. Fog episodes occur frequently in many of these regions which help to augment water supplies for such native botanic species through dew and fog collection, as well as water vapour absorption. Inspired by nature, this project aims to fabricate 3-dimensional replicas which utilise fog interception for the provision of clean water in arid and semi-arid regions. The work will seek to gain a much better understanding of the science underlying the formation and behaviour of water drops on plant surfaces during fog episodes which enable a wide range of replicate structures to be developed. This cross-disciplinary programme of research is strongly underpinned by world leading expertise in the field of functional surfaces which will undertake the identification and replication of the structure, chemistry, and functionality of fog harvesting plants. Beneficiaries of the research will include international development, industry, as well as academic scientists working in the fields of surface science, materials science, and fluid mechanics. A successful outcome for this research programme would make a significant impact on the daily lives of millions of poor people living in arid climates.
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