1. High-yield atmospheric water capture via bioinspired material segregation
- Author
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Gao, Yiwei, Ricoy, Santiago, Cobb, Addison, Phung, Ryan, Lewis, Areianna, Sahm, Aaron, Ortiz, Nathan, Rao, Sameer, and Cho, H. Jeremy
- Subjects
Physics - Fluid Dynamics ,Condensed Matter - Soft Condensed Matter ,Physics - Applied Physics - Abstract
Atmospheric water harvesting is urgently needed given increasing global water scarcity. Current sorbent-based devices that cycle between water capture and release have low harvesting rates. We envision a radically different multi-material architecture with segregated and simultaneous capture and release. This way, proven fast-release mechanisms that approach theoretical limits can be incorporated; however, no capture mechanism exists to supply liquid adequately for release. Inspired by tree frogs and airplants, our capture approach transports water through a hydrogel membrane ``skin'' into a liquid desiccant. We report an extraordinarily high capture rate of 5.50 $\text{kg}\,\text{m}^{-2}\,\text{d}^{-1}$ at a low humidity of 35%, limited by the convection of air to the device. At higher humidities, we demonstrate up to 16.9 $\text{kg}\,\text{m}^{-2}\,\text{d}^{-1}$, exceeding theoretical limits for release. Simulated performance of a hypothetical one-square-meter device shows that water could be supplied to two to three people in dry environments. This work is a significant step toward providing new resources to water-scarce regions., Comment: 22 pages, 23 figures
- Published
- 2023
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