Credit: National University of Singapore
Innovative Aerogels Aid in Water Conservation Efforts
As the threat of a global freshwater shortage looms, forecasts suggest that by 2025, approximately half of the world’s population could inhabit regions plagued by insufficient water supply. To combat this dire situation, scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have introduced an advanced aerogel engineered to optimize atmospheric water harvesting.
Led by Expertise in Materials Science
This groundbreaking development is spearheaded by Associate Professor Tan Swee Ching from NUS’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering within the College of Design and Engineering. This innovative solution provides a significant opportunity for addressing freshwater scarcity challenges faced particularly in dry climates.
Aerogel’s Impressive Capability
The novel aerogel can attract moisture from the air at an impressive capacity—up to 5.5 times its mass. It effectively functions across varying humidity levels, delivering optimal performance even when relative humidity dips to as low as 20%. This versatility makes it ideal for a multitude of environmental conditions.
An Effective Atmospheric Water Collector
To showcase its practical application, researchers have incorporated this aerogel into a solar-powered autonomous system that efficiently gathers and dispenses freshwater without relying on external energy resources.
The Untapped Resource Above Us
The atmosphere contains around 13,000 trillion liters of water—a vast pool that could significantly mitigate suffering from droughts if harnessed properly. The ongoing challenge lies in converting moisture vapor into usable liquid while maintaining energy efficiency amid fluctuating climatic conditions.
Credit: National University of Singapore
Sorption-Based Atmospheric Water Harvesting (SAWH)
Sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting offers a promising low-energy solution through sorbents designed to extract moisture directly from the atmosphere, making it applicable even in resources-limited areas. However, conventional sorbents like activated alumina and silica gels often exhibit insufficient hydration capabilities or depend on elevated temperatures to release collected moisture efficiently.
Limitations with Current Technologies
Newer materials such as hygroscopic salts show potential improvements but encounter issues like deliquescence and agglomeration which hinder their performance and ability to retain moisture effectively. Existing SAWH devices typically manage only one capture-release cycle per day, which restricts their capacity for consistent large-scale freshwater production.
A Revolutionary Approach with Enhanced Performance
Tackling these obstacles creatively, NUS researchers developed an innovative composite aerogel using magnesium chloride transformed into a super hygroscopic complex blended with sodium alginate and carbon nanotubes. This new construction enables enhanced adaptability and energy efficiency within SAWH technology.
This composite operates akin to a sponge that draws in ambient vapor through its pore structure before condensing it internally until needed. By utilizing solar heat or slight rises in temperature (approximately 50°C), stored vapor is easily released back as fresh liquid water.
- Remarkable Absorption: With high intake rates—capable of absorbing up to 5.5 times its weight under optimal conditions—it maintains approximately 27% uptake even at lower humidity typical found regions like deserts.
- Diminished Costs: Production costs are also low; raw materials required for generating one square meter cost just about $2 USD according to current estimates.”
- Efficiency Dynamics:“Our tested model demonstrates rapid absorption/desorption rates allowing up to twelve cycles daily,” remarked Assoc Prof Tan Swee Ching during discussions regarding findings.”
Pioneering Sustainable Water Solutions
The research team has developed an entire solar-powered system featuring dual layers composed entirely out of this custom-made aerogel material. Each layer performs consecutive absorption-desorption processes while negating any need for supplemental energy input—ideal news for areas struggling with basic access to clean-water sources!
Paving New Ways Forward Together!
Research advancements such as these open extensive avenues across evaporative cooling applications balancing urban agriculture practices alongside potential commercial ventures—the NUS group remains keen on seeking partnerships moving forward!
Citation:
Groundbreaking Aerogels Enhance Atmospheric Freshwater Collection Techniques (2024) accessed December 21st,
from https://techxplore.com/news/2024-12-advanced-aerogel-autonomous-atmospheric-harvesting.html
This article may not be reproduced without express permission; copyright regulations apply.
