A research team at the University of Texas has developed “a low-cost gel film made of abundant materials that can pull water from the air in even the driest climates”. Super hygroscopic polymer films leverage unique polymer structures to enhance water absorption capacity, making them ideal for many applications. Their scalability, multi-use, and low cost ensure they can be produced in large quantities, catering to diverse environmental challenges and industries.
Sources:
UT Press Release: Low-Cost Gel Film Can Pluck Drinking Water From Desert Air
https://news.utexas.edu/2022/05/23/low-cost-gel-film-can-pluck-drinking-water-from-desert-air/
Paper as pulished in Nature Coommunications: Scalable super hygroscopic polymer films for sustainable moisture harvesting in arid environments
Authors: Youhong Guo, Weixin Guan, Chuxin Lei, Hengyi Lu, Wen Shi and Guihua Yu
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-30505-2