Engineers have created a smart airgel that turns air into drinking water

There is enough water in the Earth's atmosphere to fill nearly half a trillion Olympic swimming pools. But long

for a time it remained unnoticed as a source of drinking water. We're talking about air.

To extract water from the air, the team underled by Professor Ho Gim Wei from NUS's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has created airgel, a solid material that weighs almost nothing. Under a microscope, it looks like a sponge, but it doesn't need to be squeezed to release the water it absorbs from the air. It also does not require a battery to operate. 

Smart airgel autonomously collects water moleculesfrom the air, condenses them into liquid and releases water. Researchers tested it and found that it met World Health Organization standards for drinking water.

Other scientists have previously invented ways to extractwater from the air, but their structures had to be powered by sunlight or electricity and had moving parts that needed to be opened and closed.

NUS researchers published their study in the journalScience Advances. They are now looking for industry partners to expand the airgel for home or industrial use. It might even have a place in survival kits.

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