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The small cube is capable of absorbing moisture from the atmosphere and then releasing it when exposed to sunlight. Photo: RMIT . |
A small block of wood could soon be the only thing standing between you and a glass of fresh water. Scientists at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) have created a new water harvesting device that can draw moisture from the atmosphere and then release it when exposed to sunlight.
Notably, the tiny cube doesn’t require any electricity to extract moisture from the air. This could be useful for deployment in places without a reliable power grid, helping millions of people gain easier access to water.
Additionally, the researchers say they removed the lignin (the substance that makes wood hard) from the wood that makes up the device, turning the water harvester into a sponge-like structure filled with tiny pores. These pores form the skeleton of the device, which is then filled with a lithium chloride salt that attracts water molecules from the air.
The other side of the cube is then coated with carbon nanotube ink that converts sunlight into heat, which is what allows the device to turn molecules into truly pure drinking water when exposed to sunlight.
Compared to many other water harvesting devices of its kind that only operate in humid environments, RMIT’s device can operate in areas with as little as 30% humidity, dry enough to operate in desert regions where water is much scarcer. During testing, the device was able to harvest about 2.5 ml/g of water overnight.
The device then releases water with 94% efficiency when exposed to sunlight. The lack of significant infrastructure is what makes the cube a sustainable option. Other options, like the recently unveiled water generator Aquaria, are also appealing, but they require much larger infrastructure to operate.
Source: https://znews.vn/thiet-bi-lay-nuoc-uong-tu-khong-khi-ma-khong-can-dien-post1561160.html
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