Fabrication of a Composite Paper-Based Material for Fog Collection and Purification Enabled by Passive Radiative...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Freshwater scarcity is a critical global challenge impacting sustainable development.
• Efficient and accessible methods for freshwater generation are urgently needed.
• Existing methods often face limitations in efficiency, cost, or applicability in diverse environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a composite paper-based material for efficient freshwater generation.
• To investigate the material's performance in passive daytime radiative cooling and selective water collection.
• To assess the material's potential for purifying water from organic fogs.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a composite paper-based material with spectral selectivity and tunable wettability.
• Characterization of the material's radiative properties (sunlight reflection, thermal infrared radiation).
• Evaluation of water and organic fog condensation and collection efficiency under various conditions.

Main Results:

• The material achieved significant daytime temperature drop due to its radiative properties (reflecting ~91% sunlight, radiating >96% thermal infrared).
• Maximum water collection rates of 332.09 mg/cm²·h (dynamic) and 245.10 mg/cm²·h (static) were achieved.
• Effective purification of water from mixed organic fogs demonstrated high selectivity for different liquids.
• The material showed excellent abrasion resistance, indicating potential for long-term reuse.

Conclusions:

• The developed composite paper-based material offers a promising solution for efficient freshwater generation.
• Its passive radiative cooling and selective wettability enable effective water collection from various vapor sources, including organic fogs.
• This technology holds significant potential for alleviating freshwater shortages, particularly in resource-limited settings.