Ilaria Rosella Pagliaro A revolutionary device capable of producing drinking water even in conditions of minimal humidity, thanks to a biomimetic approach
Water is the basis of life, but it is distributed very unevenly on Earth: where some places have enough resources for both human consumption and agriculture, some suffer from severe drought. To solve this problem, modern scientists are working on devices that can extract water even from the air. Of the many such innovations, one has been created by a team from UNLV that will be able to generate drinking water from the air, even in the most unimaginable conditions of low humidity.
A breakthrough study led by H. Jeremy Cho, just published in PNAS, has shown the way out. This device is distinguished because of its biomimetic design: inspired by nature. Unlike many atmospheric water generators, which don’t do well in environments with less than 30% humidity, this technology works efficiently at as low as 10% humidity. The secret to this technology lies in the use of a liquid salt solution to capture water, which is then purified into fresh water through an innovative process.
How the system works: nature as an inspiration
At the heart of the project is a hydrogel membrane that could mimic the adaptability of aerial plants and tree frogs, which enables the material to collect water efficiently even under extreme conditions. As Cho would say, nature provides incredible insights for innovation: “You just need to observe and draw inspiration.”
One of the most promising features of the system is that it can run on solar energy. This reduces the production cost and makes it more suitable for desert regions since sunlight is available throughout the year. The project has already moved to commercial development thanks to collaboration between UNLV and the start-up WAVR Technologies.
