Sponge -like device pulls water out of the air using sunlight for efficient harvesting
Researchers from Australia and China have developed a spongy device that is able to extract water from thin air, using solar energy to release the collected moisture. This breakthrough deals with the limitations of existing technologies such as harvesting fog and radiation cooling, which often struggle in environments with low humidity.
The water-harvesting device maintains its efficiency over a wide moisture spectrum, ranging from 30% to 90% and works effectively in temperatures of 5 to 55 degrees Celsius. It uses refined balsa wood with a natural porous structure, improved to absorb atmospheric moisture and to release on request.
Dr. Derek Hao, a senior researcher at the School of Science of RMIT University, explained that innovation is breaking into the natural architecture of Balsa Wood, the integration of lithium chloride, iron oxide nano particles and a carbon nanobuis layer to enlarge the water absorption and release options. “Billions of people around the world lack access to drinkable water, and millions die every year of diseases transferred by water,” said Hao.
The research, conducted in collaboration with five Chinese institutions, was led by Dr. Junfeng Hou van Zhejiang A & F University. The team used artificial intelligence to optimize the performance of the device under different environmental conditions, thereby guaranteeing efficient water collection and discharge.
During laboratory tests, the device absorbed about 2 milliliters of water per gram of material with a relative humidity of 90% and almost all released within 10 hours under sunlight – a remarkable improvement compared to many existing methods. In open -air tests, the 2.5 milliliters caught water per gram at night and released most of this day during the day, which achieves a daily efficiency of water collection of 94%. With 30% humidity, it absorbed 0.6 milliliters per gram.
The innovative design allows the material to maintain flexibility and functionality, even after 20 days at -20 degrees Celsius, which demonstrates exceptional freezing resistance and sustainability over multiple cycles. The device retained more than 88% of its original efficiency after 10 cycles of absorption release.
Hao emphasized the potential applications of the device in emergency scenarios, in particular in areas affected by disasters where traditional water sources are endangered. The researchers investigate opportunities to scale up production and integrate technology into modular systems, possibly using solar panels for continuous operation.
