A team from The University of Texas at Austin has developed a novel system that transforms biomass into high-efficiency sorbents, capable of extracting drinkable water from the air. This solution could scale globally, offering a sustainable way to address water scarcity.
Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a sustainable system that pulls drinkable water from the air using common natural materials like discarded food scraps, stray branches and seashells. Their system, termed “molecularly functionalized biomass hydrogels,” can convert various organic materials into sorbents — substances that absorb liquids.
By combining these sorbents with mild heat, the system can harvest several gallons of potable water from the atmosphere daily, even in arid conditions.
“With this breakthrough, we’ve created a universal molecular engineering strategy that allows diverse natural materials to be transformed into high-efficiency sorbents,” Guihua Yu, a professor of materials science and mechanical engineering at UT Austin, said in a news release. “This opens up an entirely new way to think about sustainable water collection, marking a big step towards practical water harvesting systems for households and small community scale.”
Field tests have yielded impressive results. The researchers generated 14.19 liters (roughly 3.75 gallons) of clean water per kilogram of sorbent each day. In comparison, most traditional sorbents typically produce between 1 and 5 liters per kilogram daily.
Published in the journal Advanced Materials, this research signifies a novel approach in sorbent design. Unlike the conventional “select-and-combine” method that involves choosing specific materials for designated functions, UT Austin’s comprehensive molecular strategy can transform virtually any biomass into an efficient water harvester.
Current synthetic sorbents rely on petrochemicals and require significant energy inputs. However, the UT Austin team’s biomass-based hydrogel is biodegradable, scalable and demands minimal energy for water release.
The innovation hinges on a two-step molecular engineering process that imparts hygroscopic properties and thermoresponsive behavior to any biomass-based polysaccharide, such as cellulose, starch or chitosan.
“At the end of the day, clean water access should be simple, sustainable and scalable,” lead researcher Weixin Guan, a senior doctoral student, said in the news release. “This material gives us a way to tap into nature’s most abundant resources and make water from air — anytime, anywhere.”
This breakthrough is the latest in Yu’s mission to develop reliable solutions for regions lacking clean drinking water. Yu has previously designed water-generating hydrogels catered to the driest environments, including an injectable water filtration system and hydrogel technology applied to farming.
Looking ahead, the research team is focusing on scaling production and designing devices for practical application. They’re developing portable water harvesters, self-sustaining irrigation systems and emergency drinking water devices for commercialization. From day one, scalability and real-world applicability have been their primary goals.
“The biggest challenge in sustainable water harvesting is developing a solution that scales up efficiently and remains practical outside the lab,” added Yaxuan Zhao, a graduate researcher in Yu’s lab. “Since this hydrogel can be fabricated from widely available biomass and operates with minimal energy input, it has strong potential for large-scale production and deployment in off-grid communities, emergency relief efforts and decentralized water systems.”
This advancement offers a promising solution to water scarcity, leveraging sustainable and widely available materials to bring clean drinking water to those in need worldwide.