Water scarcity is a global problem that affects more than a third of world population, and is expected to worsen due to climate change. It has been estimated that moisture in the atmosphere constitute about ten percent of total freshwater and could be significant resource to supplement the growing water need. This require new technologies that could efficiently harvest moisture from air. This study reports a new material obtained by nano-confinement of low water activity (LWA) materials within the interlayer spaces of a superhydrophilic titania nanotubes. The LWA material consisting of cyclodextrin molecules were covalently linked to the titania surface attracts water molecules to the moisture harvesting material. Instead of penetrating the narrow pores, water rapidly forms on the superhydrophilic surface draining to form a droplet on the tip of the nanotubes. The process can be sustained and moisture harvesting has been demonstrated for 100 days without the need for regeneration. The use of the materials in a dehumidifier unit resulted in 10 % decrease in energy consumption.

New moisture harvesting material from superhydrophilic Titania nanotubes

255th National Meeting (2018)

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