Preparation and Application of Pore Gradient Unidirectional Moisture Conducting Materials

Hengtao Li; Xiaoke Wang; Guohe Wang; Zhong Wang

doi:10.7536/PC240813

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Prog Chem ›› 2025, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (7) : 1063-1073. DOI: 10.7536/PC240813

Review

Preparation and Application of Pore Gradient Unidirectional Moisture Conducting Materials

Hengtao Li ¹ ,
Xiaoke Wang ² ,
Guohe Wang ¹ ,
Zhong Wang ¹^,^*

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Abstract

A unidirectional moisture transport material is a specialized type of material designed to transport moisture from one side to the other while simultaneously preventing moisture from moving in the opposite direction. Among these innovative materials， pore-gradient unidirectional moisture transport materials stand out as particularly significant. These advanced materials achieve unidirectional water transport through a carefully engineered gradient of pore sizes within the material， a process driven by the Laplace pressure. Such materials are not only eco-friendly and stable but also operate without requiring any external energy input， making them highly applicable and valuable in fields such as directional water collection， liquid transport， and oil-water separation. This paper first introduces a detailed classification of the various unidirectional moisture transport mechanisms and explains the underlying theoretical mechanisms from an energy perspective. It then reviews and analyzes the different types of pore-gradient materials. Finally， the paper discusses both the current and future applications of unidirectional moisture transport materials， along with a comprehensive analysis of their limitations and potential development directions.

Contents

1 Introduction

2 One-way moisture conduction mechanism of porous gradient materials

2.1 Classification of unidirectional moisture conduction mechanism

2.2 The mechanism of unidirectional moisture conduction explained from the perspective of energy

3 Classification of aperture gradient materials

3.1 One-component substrate aperture gradient material

3.2 Multi-component substrate composite aperture gradient materials

4 Applications of aperture gradient materials

4.1 Application of aperture gradient materials in directional water harvesting

4.2 Applications of aperture gradient materials in medical field

4.3 Applications of pore gradient materials in oil-water separation

5 Conclusion and outlook

Key words

unidirectional moisture conductive / pore size gradient / capillary effect / functional textile / moisture management

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Hengtao Li , Xiaoke Wang , Guohe Wang , et al. Preparation and Application of Pore Gradient Unidirectional Moisture Conducting Materials[J]. Progress in Chemistry. 2025, 37(7): 1063-1073 https://doi.org/10.7536/PC240813

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