Using hydrogels to reach advection-limited atmospheric water capture

Atmospheric water harvesting is a way to tap into the water vapor around us as a new water resource to combat water scarcity. Existing studies often focus on the thermodynamic limits of water absorption in new water-absorptive materials exposed to different humidity environments. However, we believe that a water harvesting approach based on mass transfer principles can provide favorable water capture performance. Thus, we explore the role of hydrogel polymer structure, functionalization, crosslinking, poroelastic diffusion, advective boundary layers, and environmental conditions on water capture performance. We perform a combination of lab tests and outdoor tests in the hot, arid Las Vegas environment. The results of this work can inform better design of atmospheric water harvesting and related applications such as dehumidification and water recycling.