Researchers from the University of Rochester are developing a way to address the world’s water crisis using sunlight to evaporate and purify contaminated water with greater than 100% efficiency. With the new method, bursts of femtosecond laser pulses etch the surface of a normal sheet of aluminum, turning it into a super wicking, super energy absorbing material. The material’s abilities are enabled when it is angled, facing the sun and drawing a thin film of water upwards over the metal’s surface. This material retains nearly 100% of the energy it absorbs from the sun and quickly heats water. At the same time, it is changing the intermolecular bonds of the water and increasing the efficiency of the evaporation process.
Experiments with the new material proved that the method reduces the presence of all common contaminants, like detergent, dyes, urine, heavy metals and more to create safe drinking water. This technology would be useful to relieve water shortages in drought-stricken areas and water desalination projects. Using sunlight to boil water can eliminate microbial pathogens and reduce death from diarrheal infections, but it doesn’t completely eliminate heavy metals and contaminants.
The team also created metallic structures that do not sink no matter how often they are forced into the water and even if they are damaged or punctured. The femtosecond laser pulses can also turn almost any metal pitch black. It creates surface structures that are effective at capturing incoming radiation in a broad range of wavelengths. The team has used a similar process to change colors of various metals.
Source: Water World
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