A tiny wooden cube may soon be the sole barrier between you and a refreshing glass of water. Researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) have developed an impressive new water harvester that extracts moisture from the air and subsequently releases it upon exposure to sunlight.
This small cube is particularly remarkable as it operates without any electricity needed to draw moisture from the atmosphere. This characteristic makes it potentially valuable in locations where electricity is limited, thereby enhancing water accessibility for millions. Another captivating aspect of this innovation lies in its complete wooden composition.
The scientists indicate that they removed the lignin (which provides rigidity to wood) from the timber, transforming the water harvester into a spongy texture filled with microscopic pores. These pores serve as the device’s framework, which was then infused with lithium chloride salt that pulls in water molecules from the air.
The opposite side of the cube was then treated with carbon nanotube ink, which has the capability to convert sunlight into heat. This process aids the device in transforming the captured molecules into usable drinking water when situated in sunlight.
While many similar water harvesters function exclusively in humid conditions, this specific device was shown to operate effectively in environments with as little as 30% humidity, which is sufficiently arid for its application in desert areas where water is significantly limited. During trials, the device managed to capture approximately 2.5 milliliters of water per gram overnight.
It then released the water with a 94% efficiency when exposed to sunlight. The absence of a need for extensive infrastructure is what renders this design a particularly sustainable choice. Other alternatives, such as Aquaria’s newly introduced water generator, are also interesting but demand considerably more infrastructure to operate.
Additional efforts to develop such water harvesters include a gel capable of extracting water from thin air.
