Water Harvesting from the Atmosphere in Arid Areas with Manganese Dioxide

Journal Article · 25 December 2019 · Environmental Science & Technology Letters (Online)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.9b00713 · OSTI ID:1598230

Wang, Jinlong  ^[1]; Dang, Yanliu ^[2]; Meguerdichian, Andrew G. ^[2]; Dissanayake, Shanka ^[2]; Kankanam-Kapuge, Tharindu ^[2]; Bamonte, Scott ^[2]; Tobin, Zachary M. ^[2]; Achola, Laura A. ^[2]; Suib, Steven L.  ^[2]

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1. Wuhan Univ. of Technology (China); Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States); Univ of Connecticut
2. Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)

Water harvesting from the atmosphere using adsorption-based technology holds great promise to solve water scarcity in arid regions. Birnessite (i.e., a layered structure MnO₂) can store water molecularly between its layers, providing a path for water adsorption. This study investigates the water sorption characteristic of birnessite from both thermodynamic and kinetic perspectives. The water vapor adsorption on birnessite follows a Type II sorption isotherm. Water molecules quickly adsorb to the interlayers at lower RH region values, while multilayer water–water interactions occur via hydrogen bonding at surfaces and result in condensed water at higher RH. Furthermore, birnessite features excellent solar absorptivity; the temperature can be raised by 87 °C under solar irradiation at a sun flux of ~900 W/m², providing energy to trigger partial desorption of interlayer water. According to the Do and Do model simulation, birnessite can harvest 0.07 kg of water per kilogram of sample (kg_H2O/kg_Sample) per cycle at RH of 23% when the dew point temperature is set to 11 °C. Finally, a device based on the concept of sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting is built to present this application. This inexpensive water adsorption material with solar absorptivity displays an applicable promise for solving water scarcity in arid regions.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: China Scholarship Council; National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSFC); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences Division
• Grant/Contract Number: FG02-86ER13622
• OSTI ID: 1598230
• Journal Information: Environmental Science & Technology Letters (Online), Journal Name: Environmental Science & Technology Letters (Online) Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 7; ISSN 2328-8930
• Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English