Tech Briefs Magazine - September 2022 - 12
5Wsof Gel Film for
Water Harvesting
Who
Engineers at the Cockrell School of Engineering
have developed a low-cost gel film made of
abundant materials that can pull water from the
air in even the driest climates.
What
The researchers used renewable cellulose and a
common kitchen ingredient, konjac gum, as a
main hydrophilic (attracted to water) skeleton.
The open-pore structure of gum speeds the
moisture-capturing process. Another designed
component, thermo-responsive cellulose with
hydrophobic (resistant to water) interaction
when heated, helps release the collected water
immediately so that overall energy input to produce
water is minimized. The film is flexible
and can be molded into a variety of shapes and
sizes, depending on the need of the user. Making
the film requires only the gel precursor,
which includes all the relevant ingredients
poured into a mold. The materials that cost a
mere $2 per kilogram, and a single kilogram
can produce more than 6 liters of water per day
in areas with less than 15 percent relative humidity
and 13 liters in areas with up to 30 percent
relative humidity.
Where
The University of Texas, Austin
Condenser
Why
The research was funded by the U.S. Department
of Defense's Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA) and drinking water
for soldiers in arid climates is a big part of the
project.
When
The researchers also envision this as something that people could someday buy at a hardware store and use in their
homes because of the simplicity.
Contact Prabhpreet Gill, Technology Licensing Associate, Office of Technology Licensing, at psgill@princeton.edu,
609-258-3653, or visit https://innovation.princeton.edu
12
Contact Nat Levy at nat.levy@utexas.edu; 512-471-2129.
www.techbriefs.com
Tech Briefs, September 2022
Tech Briefs, June 2022
A prototype device for capturing water from the air using the new film.
(Image: UT Austin)
SHPF on heating plate
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An example of a different shape the water-capturing film can take. (Image:
UT Austin)
Hygrometer
Thermocouple
https://innovation.princeton.edu
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Tech Briefs Magazine - September 2022
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tech Briefs Magazine - September 2022
Tech Briefs Magazine - September 2022 - Intro
Tech Briefs Magazine - September 2022 - Sponsor
Tech Briefs Magazine - September 2022 - Cov1
Tech Briefs Magazine - September 2022 - Cov2
Tech Briefs Magazine - September 2022 - 1
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Tech Briefs Magazine - September 2022 - 24A
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Tech Briefs Magazine - September 2022 - Cov3
Tech Briefs Magazine - September 2022 - Cov4
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