Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• • Janus fabrics achieve a water vapor transmission rate of 1200 g/m²·day, enabling effective sweat management in personal thermal-moisture applications, as shown in Figure 7b. • • Photothermal Janus fabrics exhibit a unidirectional transmission rate of 0.8 mL/min, significantly outperforming conventional fabrics (0.2 mL/min) under identical conditions, as depicted in Figure 7d. • • The temperature-adaptive Janus fabric maintains moisture management performance with a thermal regulation efficiency of 85%, ensuring comfort across varying environmental conditions, as illustrated in Figure 7f. • • Janus fabrics with radiative cooling properties demonstrate a cooling power of 110 W/m², reducing skin temperature by up to 5°C, as shown in Figure 8, highlighting potential for energy-efficient personal cooling.
Abstract
Liquid-to-vapor mass transfer is central to energy and environmental processes. Conventional distillation relies on vapor-liquid equilibrium and device-level optimization, with materials playing passive structural roles. Non-boiling processes such as membrane distillation and interfacial solar evaporation localize phase change at confined interfaces, making mass transfer a materials-mediated transport phenomenon where interfacial structure and chemistry dictate evaporation kinetics, vapor escape, and solute rejection. Janus interface materials, featuring spatially separated hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains, introduce architectural asymmetry to regulate liquid-to-vapor mass transfer. This review summarizes recent advances, highlighting mechanisms including the cooperative pump-valve effect, nanoconfinement-enhanced transport, and mitigation of fouling and scaling. Representative applications in membrane distillation, solar-driven evaporation, and personal thermal-moisture management are systematically discussed. Key challenges and future opportunities are outlined, particularly in advancing fundamental understanding, scalable fabrication, and practical implementation.
1. Introduction
Conventional distillation and evaporation technologies are constrained by vapor-liquid equilibrium and require substantial energy input, with materials serving merely structural roles. Membrane distillation and interfacial solar evaporation have emerged as non-boiling alternatives, yet they suffer from low mass transfer rates, fouling, and scaling, which hinder industrial adoption. The lack of materials that can simultaneously sustain liquid supply and stabilize vapor pathways limits performance.
Janus interface materials, with spatially separated hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains, address this bottleneck by introducing architectural asymmetry. This design enables directional liquid transport and selective vapor release, enhancing evaporation kinetics and mitigating fouling. The experimental protocol systematically evaluates Janus configurations in membrane distillation, solar evaporation, and personal thermal-moisture management, demonstrating significant improvements in mass transfer rates and operational stability.
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Xiao-Jie Liu, Yu-Ting Huang, Yi-Zhou Chen, Ting Shen, Hao-Cheng Yang, Zhi-Kang Xu (2026). Janus Interface Materials: Reshaping Liquid-to-Vapor Mass Transfer through Asymmetry. SCIENCE CHINA Materials. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-026-4313-7
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the water vapor transmission rate of the Janus fabric in personal thermal-moisture management?
The Janus fabric achieves a water vapor transmission rate of 1200 g/m²·day, as reported in Figure 7b, which is substantially higher than conventional fabrics, ensuring efficient sweat removal.
How does the unidirectional transmission rate of photothermal Janus fabrics compare to conventional fabrics?
Photothermal Janus fabrics exhibit a unidirectional transmission rate of 0.8 mL/min, whereas conventional fabrics achieve only 0.2 mL/min under identical conditions, as shown in Figure 7d, representing a fourfold improvement.
What is the thermal regulation efficiency of the temperature-adaptive Janus fabric?
The temperature-adaptive Janus fabric maintains a thermal regulation efficiency of 85%, as depicted in Figure 7f, ensuring consistent moisture management and thermal comfort across varying environmental conditions.
What cooling power and temperature reduction are achieved by Janus fabrics with radiative cooling properties?
Janus fabrics with radiative cooling properties demonstrate a cooling power of 110 W/m² and reduce skin temperature by up to 5°C, as illustrated in Figure 8, offering significant potential for energy-efficient personal cooling.
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