Scientists unveil breakthrough device that pulls drinking water from thin air: 'Deployed in real-world applications'
What if we could pull drinkable water from the air around us? A research collaboration between engineers from Australia and China has accomplished just that.
A device that looks like a sponge captures ambient water from the air and, using solar power, can deposit the water for drinking. The device modifies the natural features of balsa wood to be able to pull water from the environment.
According to TechXplore, the technology functioned from 30% to 90% humidity and from 41 to 131 degrees Fahrenheit. These ranges bode well for use in a wide range of environments.
The team published their research in the Journal of Cleaner Production.
"In outdoor tests, our device captured 2.5 milliliters of water per gram overnight and released most of it during the day, achieving a daily water collection efficiency of 94%," Dr. Junfeng Hou from Zhejiang A&F University told TechXplore.
This technology and others like it use scientific innovation to address a crucial issue of drinking water scarcity around the world. The rising average temperatures around the globe are contributing to water scarcity. In a heatwave or drought, water supplies are diminished both through evaporation and through increased consumption to prevent dehydration.
Continued reliance on dirty energy sources is speeding up the planet's heating. Scientists warn of the environmental and public health risks associated with these higher average temperatures.
Pollution also poses issues for clean drinking water. From the EPA rescinding limits on forever chemicals in drinking water to the 1.7 billion people who drank water contaminated with feces in 2022, access to clean, safe water is a serious concern.
Technology like this sponge-like device can provide drinkable water to many around the world, saving many lives. The United Nations estimates that 3.5 million people die each year from causes related to water scarcity. Beyond that, lack of water access impacts over four billion people globally every year.
The team is working on further testing with industry partners. They're trying to integrate energy storage capabilities with solar to allow for water production during cloudy periods or overnight.
Inspired by natural design and proven to work under a variety of conditions, the device can "be manufactured in large quantities and deployed in real-world applications such as water collection in remote or arid regions," Dr. Derek Hao of RMIT University in Melbourne told TechXplore.
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