Synergistic Active–Passive Strategy for Enhanced Dropwise Condensation via Hybrid Surfaces With Mechanical Vibration

Water scarcity has become a critical global issue due to the continuous increase in clean water demand. Atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) through condensation offers a promising and sustainable alternative. However, its performance is often limited by inefficient droplet shedding. Accumulated droplets increase thermal resistance, block active nucleation sites, and reduce the overall water collection rate. Although surface modifications have been developed to improve nucleation and droplet transport, challenges such as contact line pinning and delayed droplet release remain significant. This study proposes a synergistic enhancement strategy by integrating passive and active approaches through hybrid patterned surfaces combined with mechanical vibration. The hybrid surface forming a leaf‐like pattern was created in two ways first, by polishing with 1000‐grit sandpaper to create a hydrophilic surface. After that, a pattern resembling a leaf‐like pattern was created at a 45‐degree angle using a seal type to cover the hydrophilic surface. Then, the gaps between the patterns were coated using a nano‐ceramic liquid coating to create a hydrophobic area that functions to accelerate the fall of water droplets. Experiments were conducted at a relative humidity of 80% ± 5%. Periodic mechanical vibrations were applied using sinusoidal sweep mode (80–1000 Hz) and monofrequency operation at 240 Hz. The results demonstrate that mechanical vibration accelerates droplet coalescence and shedding, thereby reducing thermal resistance and decreasing the critical droplet size for detachment. Compared to the no‐vibration condition, the water collection rate increased from 151 to 272 g/m 2 h under monofrequency vibration at 240 Hz, corresponding to a 79% enhancement in heat transfer coefficient. These findings confirm that the integration of hybrid surfaces and controlled mechanical vibration effectively improves condensation performance and enhances the efficiency of atmospheric water harvesting systems.