Materials that wick water while leaving behind contaminants such as oil, metals and microplastics could help improve water quality in areas without electricity.
chemistry
February 8, 2023
Loofah is used as a sponge umdash9/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Inspired by the dried core of the luffa bean, the porous, pore-filled gel is powered solely by the heat of the sun and can clean by absorbing and releasing polluted water. It can be used to provide clean water to areas without a stable electricity supply.
Xiaohui Xu and her colleagues at Princeton University call the material a loofah-inspired sun-absorbing gel. When it cools, it becomes hydrophilic and absorbs water more easily, but when it is warmed by the heat of the sun it becomes hydrophobic and begins to release water. The released water is purified because the gel only absorbs water and not contaminants such as oils, metals or microplastics.
The researchers created a new hydrogel by adding ethylene glycol (a substance commonly used to make polyester fibers) during the manufacturing process, creating porous holes similar to those found in loofah. becomes hydrophobic at a temperature of 31°C (89°F), expelling 70% of the water it absorbs in 5 minutes.
Xu could single-handedly use this material to clean water in low-income countries by absorbing water from polluted water sources, placing it in the sun to heat it, and initiating the process of releasing clean water. said. enough to reach the required temperature.
“We are developing a device that holds materials. The manufacturing process is not difficult, all reactions are done at room temperature, no complex equipment is required, and it can be made on a large scale,” she says. “We are working on an ongoing water purification device design and will be testing the new device next month.
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