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Abd Elwadood SN, Farinha ASF, Al Wahedi Y, Al Alili A, Witkamp GJ, Dumée LF, Karanikolos GN. A Super-Hygroscopic Solar-Regenerated Alginate-Based Composite for Atmospheric Water Harvesting. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2400420. [PMID: 38751057 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202400420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 10/01/2024]
Abstract
Global water scarcity is leading to increasingly tense competition across populations. In order to complement the largely fast-depleting fresh water sources and mitigate the challenges generated by brine discharge from desalination, atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) has emerged to support long-term water supply. This work presents a novel alginate-based hybrid material comprised of porous silico-aluminophosphate-34 (SAPO-34) as fast-transport channel medium as well as hydrophilicity and stability enhancer, and graphene-based sheets as light absorber for solar-enabled evaporation, both optimally incorporated in an alginate matrix, resulting in a composite sorbent capable of harvesting water from the atmosphere with a record intake of up to 6.85 gw gs -1. Natural sunlight is solely used to enable desorption achieving increase of the temperature of the developed network up to 60 °C and resulting in release of the sorbed water, with impurities content well below the World Health Organization (WHO) upper limits. After 30 cycles of sorption and desorption, the composite hydrogel displayed unchanged water uptake and stability. This work provides an impactful perspective toward sustainable generation of water from humidity without external energy consumption supporting the emergence of alternative water production solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samar N Abd Elwadood
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, 127788, UAE
- Center for Catalysis and Separations (CeCaS), Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, 127788, UAE
| | - Andreia S F Farinha
- Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yasser Al Wahedi
- Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy, Abu Dhabi Ports, Abu Dhabi, 54477, UAE
| | - Ali Al Alili
- DEWA R&D Center, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Dubai, 564, UAE
| | - Geert-Jan Witkamp
- Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC), Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ludovic F Dumée
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, 127788, UAE
- Center for Membranes and Advanced Water Technology (CMAT), Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, 127788, UAE
- Research and Innovation Center on 2D nanomaterials, Khalifa University, Arzanah Precinct, Sas Al Nakhl, Abu Dhabi, 127788, UAE
| | - Georgios N Karanikolos
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras, Patras, 26504, Greece
- Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH/ICE-HT), Patras, 26504, Greece
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2
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Liu CH, Xu L, Wang ZY, Han SJ, Fu ML, Yuan B. Green Synthesis of Polyurethane Sponge-Grafted Calcium Alginate with Carbon Ink Aerogel with High Water Vapor Harvesting Capacity for Solar-Driven All-Weather Atmospheric Water Harvesting. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:14413-14425. [PMID: 38946296 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c01119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) technology is a new strategy for alleviating freshwater scarcity. Adsorbent materials with high hygroscopicity and high photothermal conversion efficiency are the key to AWH technology. Hence, in this study, a simple and large-scale preparation for a hygroscopic compound of polyurethane (PU) sponge-grafted calcium alginate (CA) with carbon ink (SCAC) was developed. The PU sponge in the SCAC aerogel acts as a substrate, CA as a moisture adsorber, and carbon ink as a light adsorber. The SCAC aerogel exhibits excellent water absorption of 0.555-1.40 g·g-1 within a wide range of relative humidity (40-80%) at 25 °C. The SCAC aerogel could release adsorbed water driven by solar energy, and more than 92.17% of the adsorbed water could be rapidly released over a wide solar intensity range of 1.0-2.0 sun. In an outdoor experiment, 57.517 g of SCAC was able to collect 32.8 g of clean water in 6 h, and the water quality meets the drinking water standards set by the World Health Organization. This study suggests a new approach to design promising AWH materials and infers the potential practical application of SCAC aerogel-based adsorbents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cai-Hua Liu
- Xiamen Key Laboratory of Municipal and Industrial Solid Waste Utilization and Pollution Control, College of Civil Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian 361021, P. R. China
| | - Lei Xu
- Xiamen Key Laboratory of Municipal and Industrial Solid Waste Utilization and Pollution Control, College of Civil Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian 361021, P. R. China
| | - Zhen-Yu Wang
- Xiamen Key Laboratory of Municipal and Industrial Solid Waste Utilization and Pollution Control, College of Civil Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian 361021, P. R. China
| | - Sheng-Jie Han
- Xiamen Key Laboratory of Municipal and Industrial Solid Waste Utilization and Pollution Control, College of Civil Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian 361021, P. R. China
| | - Ming-Lai Fu
- Xiamen Key Laboratory of Municipal and Industrial Solid Waste Utilization and Pollution Control, College of Civil Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian 361021, P. R. China
| | - Baoling Yuan
- Xiamen Key Laboratory of Municipal and Industrial Solid Waste Utilization and Pollution Control, College of Civil Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian 361021, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Songliao Aquatic Environment, Ministry of Education, Jilin Jianzhu University, Changchun 130118, P. R. China
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3
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Liu L, Fu C, Li S, Zhu L, Ma F, Zeng Z, Wang G. Superspreading Surface with Hierarchical Porous Structure for Highly Efficient Vapor-Liquid Phase Change Heat Dissipation. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024:e2403040. [PMID: 38984759 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202403040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Superspreading surfaces with excellent water transport efficiency are highly desirable for addressing thermal failures through the liquid-vapor phase change of water in electronics thermal management applications. However, the trade-off between capillary pressure and viscous resistance in traditional superspreading surfaces with micro/ nanostructures poses a longstanding challenge in the development of superspreading surfaces with high cooling efficiency in confined spaces. Herein, a heat-treated hierarchical porous enhanced superspreading surface (HTHP) for highly efficient electronic cooling is proposed. Compared with the single porous structures in nanograss, nanosheets, and copper foam, HTHP with hierarchical honeycomb pores effectively resolves the trade-off effect by introducing large vertical through-pores to reduce viscous resistance, and connected small pores to provide sufficient capillary pressure synergistically. HTHP exhibits excellent capillary performance in both horizontal spreading and vertical rising. Despite a thickness of only 0.33 mm, the as-prepared ultrathin vapor chamber (UTVC) fabricated to exploit the superior capillary performance of HTHP achieved effective heat dissipation with outstanding thermal conductivity (12 121 Wm-1K-1), and low thermal resistance (0.1 KW-1) at a power of 5 W. This regulation strategy based on hierarchical honeycomb porous structures is expected to promote the development of high-performance superspreading surfaces with a wide range of applications in thermal management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luqi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Marine Materials, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Chao Fu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Marine Materials, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, P. R. China
| | - Shuangyang Li
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Marine Materials, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, P. R. China
| | - Lijing Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Marine Materials, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, P. R. China
| | - Fuliang Ma
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Marine Materials, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, P. R. China
| | - Zhixiang Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Marine Materials, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, P. R. China
| | - Gang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Marine Materials, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, P. R. China
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Yu F, Cheng X, Yang L, Zhu Z, Chen Z, Zhang L, Wang X, Zhang Q. Bioinspired 1T-MoS 2-based aerogel beads for efficient freshwater harvesting in harsh environments. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 664:1021-1030. [PMID: 38513402 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.03.098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Freshwater scarcity is one of the most critical issues worldwide, particularly in arid regions, stemming from population growth and climate change. Inspired by the hydrophilic bump structures of desert beetles, 1T-MoS2-based aerogel beads with porous structures and CaCl2-crystal loading (termed as MoAB-m@CaCl2-n) were prepared for freshwater harvesting. Metallic-phase MoS2 nanospheres exhibit excellent photothermal conversion abilities, facilitating solar-driven water desorption and evaporation. Owing to the synergistic effect of its localized surface features, hydrophilic groups, and dispersive CaCl2 particles, MoAB-2@CaCl2-2 efficiently harvests water from atmosphere with a superior moisture adsorption capacity (0.18-0.82 g g-1) at a wide range of relative humidity (10 %-70 %). Under one-sun illumination, MoAB-2@CaCl2-2 demonstrates an outstanding solar-driven water evaporation rate of 2.25 kg m-2h-1. The water evaporation rate from soil (water content = 20 %) is 1.19 kg m-2h-1, which is sufficient for sustainable freshwater generation from the soil in arid regions. More importantly, the multifunctional MoAB-2@CaCl2-2-based homemade freshwater generation prototype delivers a certain amount of water harvesting (0.99 g g-1 day-1) on a rainy day and provides an impressive daily freshwater yield (53.7 kg m-2) under natural sunlight. The integrated device exhibits excellent efficiency and practicality and offers a feasible method for freshwater harvesting in harsh environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Yu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, PR China
| | - Xiangyu Cheng
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, PR China
| | - Li Yang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, PR China
| | - Zhenwei Zhu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, PR China
| | - Zihe Chen
- Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Liu Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, PR China.
| | - Xianbao Wang
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Ministry-of-Education Key Laboratory for the Green Preparation and Application of Functional Materials, Hubei Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials (Hubei University), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, PR China.
| | - Qinfang Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, PR China.
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5
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Li Q, Wang F, Zhang Y, Shi M, Zhang Y, Yu H, Liu S, Li J, Tan SC, Chen W. Biopolymers for Hygroscopic Material Development. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2209479. [PMID: 36652538 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202209479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The effective management of atmospheric water will create huge value for mankind. Diversified and sustainable biopolymers that are derived from organisms provide rich building blocks for various hygroscopic materials. Here, a comprehensive review of recent advances in developing biopolymers for hygroscopic materials is provided. It is begun with a brief introduction of species diversity and the processes of obtaining various biopolymer materials from organisms. The fabrication of hygroscopic materials is then illustrated, with a specific focus on the use of biopolymer-derived materials as substrates to produce composites and the use of biopolymers as building blocks to fabricate composite gels. Next, the representative applications of biopolymer-derived hygroscopic materials for dehumidification, atmospheric water harvesting, and power generation are systematically presented. An outlook on future challenges and key issues worthy of attention are finally provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Li
- Key Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, P. R. China
| | - Fei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, P. R. China
| | - Yaoxin Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering drive 1, Singapore, 117574, Singapore
| | - Mengjiao Shi
- Key Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, P. R. China
| | - Yingying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, P. R. China
| | - Haipeng Yu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, P. R. China
| | - Shouxin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, P. R. China
| | - Jian Li
- Key Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, P. R. China
| | - Swee Ching Tan
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 9 Engineering drive 1, Singapore, 117574, Singapore
| | - Wenshuai Chen
- Key Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, P. R. China
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6
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Bai Q, Zhou W, Cui W, Qi Z. Research Progress on Hygroscopic Agents for Atmospheric Water Harvesting Systems. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 17:722. [PMID: 38591579 PMCID: PMC10856168 DOI: 10.3390/ma17030722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Adsorptive atmospheric water harvesting systems (AWHs) represent an innovative approach to collecting freshwater resources from the atmosphere, with a hygroscopic agent at their core. This method has garnered significant attention due to its broad applicability, strong recycling capacity, and sustainability. It is being positioned as a key technology to address global freshwater scarcity. The core agent's hygroscopic properties play a crucial role in determining the performance of the AWHs. This article provides a comprehensive review of the latest advancements in hygroscopic agents, including their adsorption mechanisms and classifications. This study of hygroscopic agents analyzes the performance and characteristics of relevant porous material composite polymer composites and plant composites. It also evaluates the design and preparation of these materials. Aiming at the problems of low moisture adsorption and desorption difficulty of the hygroscopic agent, the factors affecting the water vapor adsorption performance and the method of enhancing the hygroscopic performance of the material are summarized and put forward. For the effect of hygroscopic agents on the volume of water catchment devices, the difference in density before and after hygroscopicity is proposed as part of the evaluation criteria. Moisture absorption per unit volume is added as a performance evaluation criterion to assess the effect of hygroscopic agents on the volume of water collection equipment. The article identifies areas that require further research and development for moisture absorbers, exploring their potential applications in other fields and anticipating the future development direction and opportunities of moisture-absorbing materials. The goal is to promote the early realization of adsorptive atmospheric water harvesting technology for large-scale industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Bai
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610059, China; (Q.B.); (W.C.)
| | - Wanlai Zhou
- Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China;
| | - Wenzhong Cui
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610059, China; (Q.B.); (W.C.)
| | - Zhiyong Qi
- Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China;
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7
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Maity D, Teixeira AP, Fussenegger M. Hydratable Core-Shell Polymer Networks for Atmospheric Water Harvesting Powered by Sunlight. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2301427. [PMID: 37525326 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202301427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
The development of technologies to enable fresh water harvesting from atmospheric moisture could help overcome the problem of potable water scarcity. Here, an atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) device is assembled in a core-shell structure, with the core consisting of networks of alginate (Alg) and polyaniline (PANI) and the outer layer consisting of thermo-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) modified with sulfonic acid groups (SPNIPAM) to increase the water adsorption at low relative humidity. The resulting hydrogel, modified with lithium chloride (LiCl) for increased water storage capacity (SPNIPAM-Li-PANIAlg), displays a similar lower critical solution temperature to pristine PNIPAM (32 °C) while affording a 15-fold higher water capture ratio, and releases water upon exposure to sunlight at intensities less than 1 kW m-2 . The developed AWH system is capable of harvesting 6.5 L of water per kilogram in a single daily absorption/desorption cycle under sunlight and can operate at relative humidity levels as low as 17% with no additional external energy input. The thermo-responsive hydrogel SPNIPAM-Li-PANIAlg exhibits excellent stability during natural sunlight-driven absorption/desorption cycles for at least 30 days, and allows sustainable harvesting of over 28.3 L kg-1 from a moisture-rich environment by means of multiple absorption/desorption cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debasis Maity
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel, CH-4058, Switzerland
| | - Ana Palma Teixeira
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel, CH-4058, Switzerland
| | - Martin Fussenegger
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel, CH-4058, Switzerland
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 26, Basel, CH-4058, Switzerland
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Han X, Xue Y, Lou R, Ding S, Wang S. Facile and efficient chitosan-based hygroscopic aerogel for air dehumidification. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 251:126191. [PMID: 37573918 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Sorption dehumidification, as an energy-saving and eco-friendly approach, has been emerging in application for air dehumidification. Here, a prospective method is proposed to prepare biomass-based hygroscopic aerogels that are easily applicable, sustainable, high-efficient, and recyclable. The chitosan-based aerogel with a porous and hydrophilic network acts as the carrier and water reservoir for the uniformly distributed lithium chloride hygroscopic salt, and provides the hygroscopic salt with more liberal water channels to facilitate moisture capture and transfer. As a consequence, the prepared chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol@lithium chloride (chitosan/PVA@LiCl) hygroscopic aerogel exhibits an excellent moisture absorption capacity of up to 2.77 g g-1 at a relative humidity of 90 %. Meanwhile, as the chitosan/PVA@LiCl aerogel is set in a closed space about 2200 times larger than its own volume, the relative humidity can be reduced from 90 % to 32 % within 2 h, and further lower to 25 % after 4 h. Furthermore, combined with multi-walled carbon nanotubes, the photothermal hygroscopic aerogel is obtained that can rapidly desorb water under sunlight, thus to realize energy-free cycle. Overall, the renewable biomass-based aerogel materials with the advantages of simple preparation and excellent hygroscopic performance provides a new path for the development of sorption dehumidification technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinhong Han
- State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Yiwen Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Rui Lou
- College of Physics and Energy, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710021, China
| | - Shaoqiu Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Shurong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
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Han X, Zhong L, Zhang L, Zhu L, Zhou M, Wang S, Yu D, Chen H, Hou Y, Zheng Y. Efficient Atmospheric Water Harvesting of Superhydrophilic Photothermic Nanocapsule. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2303358. [PMID: 37488688 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202303358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Drought and water scarcity are two of the world's major problems. Solar-powered sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting technology is a promising solution in this category. The main challenge is to design materials with high water harvesting performance while achieving fast water vapor adsorption/desorption rates. Here, a superhydrophilic photothermic hollow nanocapsule (SPHN) is represented that achieves efficient atmospheric water harvesting in outdoor climates. In SPHN, the hollow mesoporous silica (HMS) is grafted with polypyrrole (PPy) and also loaded with lithium chloride (LiCl). The hollow structure is used to store water while preventing leakage. The hydrophilic spherical nanocapsule and the trapped water produce more free and weakly adsorbed water. Significantly lower the heat of desorption compared to pure LiCl solution. Such SPHN significantly improves the adsorption/desorption kinetics, e.g., absorbs 0.78-2.01 g of water per gram of SPHN at 25 °C, relative humidity (RH) 30-80% within 3 h. In particular, SPHN has excellent photothermal properties to achieve rapid water release under natural sunlight conditions, i.e., 80-90% of water is released in 1 h at 0.7-1.0 kW m-2 solar irradiation, and 50% of water is released even at solar irradiation as low as 0.4 kW m-2 . The water collection capacity can reach 1.2 g g-1 per cycle by using the self-made atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) device. This finding provides a way to design novel materials for efficient water harvesting tasks, e.g., water engineering, freshwater generator, etc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuefeng Han
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education School of Chemistry, Beihang University (BUAA), Beijing, 100191, P. R. China
| | - Lieshuang Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education School of Chemistry, Beihang University (BUAA), Beijing, 100191, P. R. China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education School of Chemistry, Beihang University (BUAA), Beijing, 100191, P. R. China
| | - Lingmei Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education School of Chemistry, Beihang University (BUAA), Beijing, 100191, P. R. China
| | - Maolin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education School of Chemistry, Beihang University (BUAA), Beijing, 100191, P. R. China
| | - Shaomin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education School of Chemistry, Beihang University (BUAA), Beijing, 100191, P. R. China
| | - Dongdong Yu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education School of Chemistry, Beihang University (BUAA), Beijing, 100191, P. R. China
| | - Huan Chen
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education School of Chemistry, Beihang University (BUAA), Beijing, 100191, P. R. China
| | - Yongping Hou
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education School of Chemistry, Beihang University (BUAA), Beijing, 100191, P. R. China
| | - Yongmei Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education School of Chemistry, Beihang University (BUAA), Beijing, 100191, P. R. China
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10
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Entezari A, Esan OC, Yan X, Wang R, An L. Sorption-Based Atmospheric Water Harvesting: Materials, Components, Systems, and Applications. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2210957. [PMID: 36869587 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202210957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater scarcity is a global challenge posing threats to the lives and daily activities of humankind such that two-thirds of the global population currently experience water shortages. Atmospheric water, irrespective of geographical location, is considered as an alternative water source. Sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting (SAWH) has recently emerged as an efficient strategy for decentralized water production. SAWH thus opens up a self-sustaining source of freshwater that can potentially support the global population for various applications. In this review, the state-of-the-art of SAWH, considering its operation principle, thermodynamic analysis, energy assessment, materials, components, different designs, productivity improvement, scale-up, and application for drinking water, is first extensively explored. Thereafter, the practical integration and potential application of SAWH, beyond drinking water, for wide range of utilities in agriculture, fuel/electricity production, thermal management in building services, electronic devices, and textile are comprehensively discussed. The various strategies to reduce human reliance on natural water resources by integrating SAWH into existing technologies, particularly in underdeveloped countries, in order to satisfy the interconnected needs for food, energy, and water are also examined. This study further highlights the urgent need and future research directions to intensify the design and development of hybrid-SAWH systems for sustainability and diverse applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akram Entezari
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Oladapo Christopher Esan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xiaohui Yan
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Ruzhu Wang
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Liang An
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
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Lin Y, Shao K, Li S, Li N, Wang S, Wu X, Guo C, Yu L, Murto P, Xu X. Hygroscopic and Photothermal All-Polymer Foams for Efficient Atmospheric Water Harvesting, Passive Humidity Management, and Protective Packaging. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:10084-10097. [PMID: 36753048 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c00302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Environmental humidity and thermal control are of primary importance for fighting global warming, growing energy consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions. Sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting is an emerging technology with great potential in clean water production and passive cooling applications. However, sorption-based humidity management and their hybrid applications are limited due to the lack of energywise designs of hygroscopic materials and devices. Herein, all polymeric 3D foams are developed and evaluated as hygroscopic and photothermal materials. The gas-foaming method generates closed-cell structures with interconnected hydrophilic networks and wrinkled surfaces, expanding hygroscopic, photothermal, and evaporating areas of the 3D foams. These unique advantages lead to efficient water vapor sorption in a wide broad relative humidity (RH) range of 50-90% and efficient water release in a wide solar intensity (0.4-1 sun) and temperature range (27-80 °C). The reversible moisture sorption/release in 50 adsorption/desorption cycles highlights the excellent durability of the 3D foams compared to conventional inorganic desiccants. The 3D foams disclose passive and efficient apparent temperature regulation in warm and humid environments. Moreover, the use of the 3D foams as loose fill for fruit preservation and packaging is demonstrated for the first time by taking the merit of the 3D foams' moisture-absorbing, quick-drying, cushioning, and thermal-insulating properties. This work presents an integrated design of polymeric desiccants and scaffolds, not merely delivering stable water adsorption/desorption but also discovering innovative hybrid applications in humidity management and protective packaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Lin
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Ke Shao
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Shuai Li
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Na Li
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Shuxue Wang
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Xiaochun Wu
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
| | - Cui Guo
- College of Marine Life Science, Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Liangmin Yu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology, Ministry of Education, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
- Open Studio for Marine Corrosion and Protection, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Petri Murto
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Xiaofeng Xu
- College of Materials Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
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Self-driven super water vapor-absorbing calcium alginate-based bionic leaf for Vis-NIR spectral simulation. Carbohydr Polym 2022; 296:119932. [DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.119932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Lu K, Liu C, Liu J, He Y, Tian X, Liu Z, Cao Y, Shen Y, Huang W, Zhang K. Hierarchical Natural Pollen Cell-Derived Composite Sorbents for Efficient Atmospheric Water Harvesting. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:33032-33040. [PMID: 35839436 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c04845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Freshwater scarcity is a critical challenge threatening human survival especially due to poverty and arid and off-grid regions. Sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) has emerged as a promising strategy for clean water production. However, most of the high-capacity sorbents are limited by the poor sorption/desorption kinetics and uncontrollable liquid leakage problem. Inspired by the plant transpiration process, we develop an environmentally friendly LiCl@pollen cell-polypyrrole (LiCl@PC-PPy) composite sorbent by confining the LiCl hygroscopic agent in the cages of the PC-PPy. The composite sorbent exhibits much improved sorption/desorption kinetics owing to the hydrophilicity of the hierarchical porous structure of the pollen cells, which provides abundant water sorption active sites and diffusion pathways and forms a concave meniscus on cell skeletons to maximize the thermal utilization efficiency. Moreover, the big cavities of the PC-PPy cages can serve as a water reservoir to reduce liquid leakage. As a result, the sorbent can capture atmospheric water to 85% of its own weight under 60% relative humidity (RH) within 2 h and rapidly release the water within 1 h under weak light irradiation of 0.8 sun. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, the fabricated AWH device can absorb 1.55 gwater/gsorbent at night and collect 1.53 gwater/gsorbent of water in 1-day outdoor operation, and the collected water can meet the drinking water standards defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunjuan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, P. R. China
| | - Chenjue Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, P. R. China
| | - Jing Liu
- School of Materials and Energy, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, P. R. China
| | - Yi He
- Hangzhou Vocational & Technical College, Hangzhou 310005, P. R. China
| | - Xinlong Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, P. R. China
| | - Zhongxin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, P. R. China
| | - Yang Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, P. R. China
| | - Yijun Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, P. R. China
| | - Wei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, P. R. China
| | - Kexi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, P. R. China
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