Title: ATMOSPHERIC WATER GENERATOR USING NANOSTRUCTURED HYBRID HYDROGEL

Authors: Md. Nizam Uddin, Md. Fazle Rab,Asib Ridwan, Ramazan Asmatulu

DOI: 10.33599/nasampe/s.23.0004

Abstract: The scarcity of usable water is severe and increasingly perceived in the regions of the Middle East, Central and Southern Asia, and Northern Africa. Several parts of the United States have been experiencing prolonged and frequent droughts due to climate change. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification reports that by 2025 about 2.4 billion people will suffer from access to safe drinking water. The nature-inspired nanotechnology-based atmospheric water harvesting technology is promising in providing clean water to humanity. The Earth’s atmosphere holds 37.5 million billion gallons of water in the invisible vapor phase with fast replenishment. Nanotechnology-enabled solutions have played an important role in developing cost-effective and efficient processes for harvesting, purification, and use of atmospheric water. Herein, we present a promising strategy for clean water production in arid and semi-arid regions, land-locked areas, and remote communities. The electrospun hybrid hydrogel consisting of deliquescent salt (CaCl2) and nanomaterials was fabricated, and the atmospheric water vapor harvesting capacity was measured. The harvested water was easily released from the hydrogel under regular sunlight via the photothermal effect. The experimental tests of this hybrid hydrogel demonstrated the feasibility of more than 1.04 liters of freshwater production per kilogram of the hydrogel (RH 60%). It is estimated that the material cost of making such a hydrogel to supply the minimum daily water consumption for a two-member household (~ 6 liters) is only $5.14 (USD). The produced water can be used for drinking, agriculture, gardening, medical, industrial, and other purposes.

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Conference: SAMPE 2023

Publication Date: 2023/04/17

SKU: TP23-0000000004

Pages: 8

Price: $16.00