Photochromic water harvesting platform

1. A method for the condensation of water on a surface of a film deposited on a surface of a device, comprising:

exposing the device comprising photoactive, thermally or electrically-active or a combination of a photoactive, thermally active and/or electrically-active film, wherein the film comprises a compound having a ground state that reversibly converts to its activated state upon exposure to light, heat or an electric field, or a combination of light, heat and/or electric field, wherein the activated state of the compound is more polar than the ground state of the compound;

wherein the device is exposed for a sufficient period of time to condense moisture on or capture and adhere water droplets on the surface of the film; and

continuously collecting the water formed or collected on the surface of the device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound is of the formula I:

wherein:

m is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;

n is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;

R is H or is selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted C 1-22 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C 6-10 aryl, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl-C 6-10 aryl, substituted or unsubstituted C 1-22 alkylC(O)—, substituted or unsubstituted C 1-22 alkylS(O) 1-2 —, substituted or unsubstituted C 1-22 alkylNR′C(O)— and substituted or unsubstituted C 1-22 alkoxyC(NR″)—, or a polymer;

each X is independently H or is selected from the group consisting of halo, —CN, —NO 2 , —COOH, —SH, —OH, substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C 6-10 aryl, substituted or unsubstituted —C 1-6 alkyl-C 6-10 aryl, substituted or unsubstituted —C 1-6 alkylC(O)—, substituted or unsubstituted —C 1-6 alkylS(O) 1-2 —, substituted or unsubstituted —C 1-6 alkylNR′C(O)— and substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkoxyC(NR″)—;

each Y is independently H or is selected from the group consisting of halo, —CN, —NO 2 , —COOH, —SH, —OH, substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C 6-10 aryl, substituted or unsubstituted —C 1-6 alkyl-C 6-10 aryl, substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkylC(O)—, substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkylS(O) 1-2 —, substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkylNR′C(O)— and substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkoxyC(NR″)—;

Z is —O—, —S—, —C(O)—, —C(S)—, —C(NR′)—, —S(O) 1-2 —, —NR′— and —CR′R″—; and

R′ and R″ are each independently selected from the group consisting of H, substituted or unsubstituted C 1-6 alkyl and substituted and unsubstituted —C 1-6 alkyl-C 6-10 aryl.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein R is a polymer deposited on the surface of the device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene (LDPE or HDPE), polypropylene, poly(vinyl chloride), poly(vinylidene chloride), polystyrene, polyacrylonitrile, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Teflon), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc), polyisoprene, polychloroprene, poly(oxyethylene) (POE), poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyloxycarbonyl-1,4-phenylenecarbony (PET), poly[amino(1-oxo-1,6-hexanediyl)], polystyrene, ethyl-vinyl-acetate (EVA), polylactide (PLA), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), poly-L-lactide (PLLA), PDLA (poly-D-lactide) or mixtures thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured for harvesting water from humid air and/or fog.