● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportMedium impact
New MOFs Can Harvest Water from Air, Designed by Berkeley Chemist
Key points
- MOFs capture water from dry air, releasing it as vapor.
- Each pound of MOF generates 1.3 liters of water in 12 hours.
- The technology is scalable for larger applications.
- The project aims to address water scarcity in affected regions.
Introduction to Metal-Organic Frameworks
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are crystalline structures notable for their highly porous nature and internal surface area. This unique property allows them to trap various types of matter, such as greenhouse gases and water, making them versatile materials in chemistry. Additionally, they can be used as nanosized drug carriers.
Recent Development of a Water-Harvesting MOF
Professor Omar Yaghi and his team at Berkeley have developed a specific MOF capable of harvesting water from dry air. This MOF operates by trapping water molecules and releasing them as vapor overnight, allowing for condensation into drinkable water. The technology reportedly collects about 1.3 liters of water for each pound of MOF every 12 hours.
Functionality and Efficiency
The water-harvesting MOF is designed to function using solar energy, which enhances its energy efficiency. Each MOF can be reused nightly, and the system's scalability allows for varying amounts - from a kilogram for personal use to hundreds of kilograms for community applications.
Commercialization Efforts
Yaghi's team is actively pursuing commercialization opportunities to bring this technology to regions where water is scarce. Collaborations with engineering teams from MIT have helped design the apparatus needed for the water-harvesting process, further promoting the practical application of MOFs.
Background on Reticular Chemistry
Reticular chemistry, a field pioneered by Yaghi, focuses on the design and synthesis of complex molecular frameworks through the combination of metals and organic molecules. This innovative approach has allowed scientists to overcome previous challenges in creating stable frameworks, resulting in breakthroughs like the water-harvesting MOF.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Primary sources
GitHub newrelic/newrelic-browser-agentReporting from
Researchers have developed a new type of metal-organic framework (MOF) that can extract water from dry air. This MOF traps water overnight and releases it the next morning, producing approximately 1.3 liters of water every 12 hours using solar energy. This advancement holds importance for water-scarce regions and contributes to ongoing efforts in reticular chemistry.