At any given moment, the atmosphere holds about 12,900 km3 (3,100 mi3) of water vapor. Harvesting just a tiny fraction out of thin air could help relieve water scarcity, especially in arid areas.
Up until now, most attempts at moisture harvesting have worked best in high-humidity conditions or required large amounts of energy. But a new hydrophilic gel film might make it possible to materialize drinking water out of thin air, even in places with just 15% humidity. For reference, 15% humidity is approximately what Las Vegas, NV, experiences in June.
The gel costs just $2 per kg, meaning it could be used for small-scale, even portable, moisture harvesters. This project was funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and the technology could be used by soldiers in desert areas, explains study coauthor Youhong Guo, a postdoctoral associate in chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who conducted the research as part of her doctorate at the Univ. of Texas, Austin...
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