Researchers at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University have come up with a novel material for scalable solar-powered desalination of seawater. The previous materials used for this purpose were not scalable, as their efficiency drastically dropped with increasing size.
In our world today, a majority of the population rely on groundwater for their drinking water. The drilling of boreholes is largely unregulated and undocumented, despite the potential impact of these boreholes. The adoption of seawater desalination can help control and mitigate the impact of excessive drilling.
The new material discovered by researchers at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University is a step forward in the direction of reducing human dependency on groundwater. With an increase in size, the material managed less than 5% reduction in performance, whereas traditional evaporators experience over 40% drop in performance.
The new aerogel features 20-micrometer vertical holes uniformly spread across its surface. To make this aerogel, the researchers 3D-printed a paste consisting of carbon nanotubes and cellulose nanofiber layer by layer unto a frozen material.
To test the efficiency of the new material, the researchers conducted indoor and outdoor tests with the material at varying scales. For the tests, they used square-shaped aerogel materials between 1 and 8 centimeters (0.39 and 3.15 inches).
Our aerogel allows full-capacity desalination at any size, providing a simple, scalable solution for energy-free desalination to produce clean water. — Xi Shen, Lead Researcher.
The process is simple — the carbon-based aerogel floats in a cup of seawater, when exposed to sunlight, its surface heats up, causing water to separate from salt and evaporate. This fresh water vapor then condenses on the underside of a transparent cover, where it is collected as purified, drinkable water. In a proof-of-concept outdoor test, the system successfully produced about three tablespoons of fresh water in six hours.
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Chibuike Okpara – Tech Writer – 47 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2024
I have always been fascinated by technology and digital devices my entire life and even got addicted to it. I have always marveled at the intricacy of even the simplest digital devices and systems around us. I have been writing and publishing articles online for about 6 years now, just about a year ago, I found myself lost in the marvel of smartphones and laptops we have in our hands every day. I developed a passion for learning about new devices and technologies that come with them and at some point, I asked myself, “Why not get into writing tech articles?” It is useless to say I followed up the idea — it is evident. I am an open-minded individual who derives an infinite amount of joy from researching and discovering new information, I believe there is so much to learn and such a short life to live, so I put my time to good use — learning new things. I am a ‘bookworm’ of the internet and digital devices. When I am not writing, you will find me on my devices still, I do explore and admire the beauty of nature and creatures. I am a fast learner and quickly adapt to changes, always looking forward to new adventures.
Chibuike Okpara, 2025-07- 7 (Update: 2025-07- 7)
