Investigating the Stability and Performance of Porous Materials for Atmospheric Water Harvesting
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Chen, Carmen
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Abstract
The stability, performance, and suitability of porous materials for the extraction of water vapor from the air to produce drinking water was evaluated in this work. Studies were conducted on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and silicas to explore their potential as adsorbents for atmospheric water harvesting (AWH). Ideal adsorbents will exhibit (1) high water stability, (2) significant water adsorption loading across the entire humidity range, (3) cyclability, and (4) potential for integration into a portable AWH device for real-life deployment. Each factor was separately discussed within this dissertation: first, water stability studies on the MOF DMOF-1(Zn) revealed what factors contribute to the robustness of the material. The goal of these studies was to determine at what water vapor loading threshold did the MOF start to structurally degrade. Additionally, this loading threshold remained the same regardless of the adsorption temperature. Next, to examine a different class of materials that feature high pore volumes, water-stable silicas were chosen for hygroscopic salt impregnation. The resulting silica-salt composite material exhibited excellent water adsorption loadings as well as cyclability. Lastly, to answer the question of device integration, the post-synthetic processing routes of ball-milling and pelletization were explored for silicas and MOFs. These studies highlighted the need to evaluate the mechanical stability of adsorbents prior to their use for real-life applications. Ultimately, the findings from this thesis aim to facilitate the development of next-generation AWH devices.
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2022-08-01
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Dissertation