An example of a different shape the water-capturing film can take.
More than a third of the world’s population lives in drylands, areas that experience significant water shortages. Scientists and engineers at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a solution that could help people in these areas access clean drinking water.
The team developed a low-cost gel film made of abundant materials that can pull water from the air in even the driest climates. The materials that facilitate this reaction cost a mere $2 per kilogram, and a single kilogram can produce more than 6 liters of water per day in areas with less than 15% relative humidity and 13 liters in areas with up to 30% relative humidity.
The research builds on previous breakthroughs from the team, including the ability to pull water out of the atmosphere and the application of that technology to create self-watering soil. However, these technologies were designed for relatively high-humidity environments.
“This new work is about practical solutions that people can use to get water in the hottest, driest places on Earth,” said Guihua Yu, professor of materials science and mechanical engineering in the Cockrell School of Engineering’s Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering. “This could allow millions of people without consistent access to drinking water to have simple, water generating devices at home that they can easily operate.”
The new paper appears in Nature Communications.
The researchers used renewable cellulose and a common kitchen ingredient, konjac gum, as a main hydrophilic (attracted to water) skeleton. The open-pore structure of gum speeds the moisture-capturing process. Another designed component, thermo-responsive cellulose with hydrophobic (resistant to water) interaction when heated, helps release the collected water immediately so that overall energy input to produce water is minimized.
Other attempts at pulling water from desert air are typically energy-intensive and do not produce much. And although 6 liters does not sound like much, the researchers say that creating thicker films or absorbent beds or arrays with optimization could drastically increase the amount of water they yield.
The reaction itself is a simple one, the researchers said, which reduces the challenges of scaling it up and achieving mass usage.
“This is not something you need an advanced degree to use,” said Youhong “Nancy” Guo, the lead author on the paper and a former doctoral student in Yu’s lab, now a postdoctoral researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “It’s straightforward enough that anyone can make it at home if they have the materials.”
The film is flexible and can be molded into a variety of shapes and sizes, depending on the need of the user. Making the film requires only the gel precursor, which includes all the relevant ingredients poured into a mold.
“The gel takes 2 minutes to set simply. Then, it just needs to be freeze-dried, and it can be peeled off the mold and used immediately after that,” said Weixin Guan, a doctoral student on Yu’s team and a lead researcher of the work.
Original Article: Low-Cost Gel Film Can Pluck Drinking Water From Desert Air
More from: University of Texas at Austin | Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Latest Updates from Bing News & Google News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Water-capturing film
- YOUR NAME Anime Artist Yoshitoshi Shinomiya Makes Film Directorial Debut with A NEW DAWN
Anime artist ( Your Name, The Garden of Woods ) is making his feature film directorial debut with an anime film titled A New Dawn . This is said to be a “profoundly personal film” for the filmmaker an ...
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ Blu-ray will get unique cut of film
When Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes hits Blu-ray, it will have a really special edition. In an interview with Ape Nation, director Wes Ball revealed that the Blu-ray will feature a cut of the film ...
- New film fuses art and Indigenous voices to spotlight Great Salt Lake’s plight
A new documentary, "The Illusion of Abundance," melds the art forms of dance and spoken-word poetry, along with the voices of Indigenous people, to explore the environmental perils of the Great Salt ...
- Carbon capture tech makes oilfield go greener
"Compared to overcoming high-temperature and high-pressure technology, overcoming the corrosion of the wellbore is the most critical issue," Luan said. Once the injected carbon dioxide encounters ...
- New short film, "Harvest Calls" shows local musician turning the sounds of wine harvest into album
The film “Harvest Calls” chronicles Brook Munro's journey to create his album “Harvest in Twelve Parts." The album blends rich instrumentation with natural harvest sounds, like grapes being juiced and ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Water-capturing film
[google_news title=”” keyword=”water capturing film” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Moisture-capturing film
- The Legend of Zelda Movie Director Not Planning on Using Much Motion Capture in His 'Grounded' Adaptation
The Legend of Zelda movie director Wes Ball has doubled down on his plans for the live-action adaptation, as he reveals that using motion capture throughout is not his preference.
- See the $36 billion Great Green Wall in Africa that's an attempt to hold back desertification
The Great Green Wall aims to regreen 247 million acres of degraded land across Africa's Sahel region by 2030. It could cost over $36 billion.
- Star Wars movies in order: the correct and chronological way to watch the films
Star Wars movies in order: the correct and chronological way to watch the films - As we approach May the 4th, the most important day in the year for every true Star Wars fan, there’s never been a ...
- General Mills gets grant for moisture barrier film for food packaging
The granted patent (Publication Number: US11912488B2) discloses an article comprising a foodstuff and a package with a multilayer moisture barrier. The package includes a first outer layer, a second ...
- 10 Best Bedding For Chickens
Used in many applications, Zeolite is most commonly used to control moisture, capture odors and neutralize potentially harmful compounds. Animal Suggested For: Chickens, ducks, game birds ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Moisture-capturing film
[google_news title=”” keyword=”moisture capturing film” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]