Student: Saad Alsaad
Committee: Dr. Lenore Dai and Dr. David Nielsen
Abstract:
Atmospheric water is considered an alternative water source available in all regions regardless of the hydrologic conditions. Hygroscopic materials can have the ability to uptake water equal to +100% of their weight. Two types of hygroscopic materials were investigated. Temperature and relative humidity were the determining factors in the amount of moisture present in the atmosphere. Hydrated salts are considered hygroscopic materials when water molecules are attached to crystalline salts. Among the tested salts in the paper, CuCl2, CuSO4, and MgSO4 were appropriate for further investigation due to their physical stability and efficient water release properties. PNIPAM does a promising job in capturing atmospheric water due to its hydrophilicity ability. It is considered a thermoresponsive material with an LCST of 32 C. Self-assembled PNIPAM sponge could work as a smart water reservoir, which can be beneficial in many applications. Blending PNIPAM with a hydrophobic polymer like PVDF enhanced its water capturing ability. PNIPAM and PVDF ratio can be controlled to tune the moisture absorbed. As PNIPAM content in the blend increased in the blend, the ability to absorb moisture increased. Cellulose Acetate-PNIPAM blend was also tested for moisture absorption. Core and shell, and blend fibers were the two blending mechanisms used to determine moisture capturing. With PNIPAM being the shell, it served as an advantage to the results as they showed a higher harvesting ability than the blend fibers. The functional groups present on the surface layer play a significant role in leading their moisture uptake behavior.
Zoom Room:https://asu.zoom.us/j/3895601905
Presentation Time: 12:00-1:00 PM (Arizona Time)
