Smart materials for atmospheric water management and water harvesting. Fresh water is a scarce resource in many parts of the globe but uncomfortably over-supplied in other regions. Dehumidifying machines, such as air conditioners, are extensively used in humid climates to enhance human comfort, but with great energy costs. Likewise, the production of potable water in remote dry regions is energy intensive. We propose novel hyper-absorbent desiccating polymers combined into sorption-powered engin ....Smart materials for atmospheric water management and water harvesting. Fresh water is a scarce resource in many parts of the globe but uncomfortably over-supplied in other regions. Dehumidifying machines, such as air conditioners, are extensively used in humid climates to enhance human comfort, but with great energy costs. Likewise, the production of potable water in remote dry regions is energy intensive. We propose novel hyper-absorbent desiccating polymers combined into sorption-powered engines inspired by nastic movements in plants to develop extremely efficient dehumidifiers and water harvesting machines. These polymer actuators can help address the auto-acceleration of climate change caused by the increasing use of air conditioners and provide cheap, clean water for remote communities.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100917
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$457,647.00
Summary
Manufacturing Nanostructured Metallic Materials via 3D Printed Polymers. This project aims to develop additive manufacturing processes capable of rapidly producing nanostructured polymer and metallic materials with tuneable physical and chemical properties. This project expects to develop new knowledge and chemical processes, allowing the rational design of functional materials with applications in catalysis, energy storage, and chemical separations. Expected outcomes include more energy efficie ....Manufacturing Nanostructured Metallic Materials via 3D Printed Polymers. This project aims to develop additive manufacturing processes capable of rapidly producing nanostructured polymer and metallic materials with tuneable physical and chemical properties. This project expects to develop new knowledge and chemical processes, allowing the rational design of functional materials with applications in catalysis, energy storage, and chemical separations. Expected outcomes include more energy efficient and environmentally benign methods for functional materials synthesis, and increased understanding of structure-property-performance relationships in nanostructured materials. This should provide benefits to Australia by providing cost-effective routes for materials used in energy, health, and water.Read moreRead less