This salty gel could harvest water from desert air

A new material developed by MIT engineers exhibits “record-breaking” vapor absorption.

MIT engineers have synthesized a superabsorbent material that can soak up a record amount of moisture from the air, even in desert-like conditions.

As the material absorbs water vapor, it can swell to make room for more moisture. Even in very dry conditions, with 30 percent relative humidity, the material can pull vapor from the air and hold in the moisture without leaking. The water could then be heated and condensed, then collected as ultrapure water.

The transparent, rubbery material is made from hydrogel, a naturally absorbent material that is also used in disposable diapers. The team enhanced the hydrogel’s absorbency by infusing it with lithium chloride — a type of salt that is known to be a powerful dessicant.

The researchers found they could infuse the hydrogel with more salt than was possible in previous studies. As a result, they observed that the salt-loaded gel absorbed and retained an unprecedented amount of moisture, across a range of humidity levels, including very dry conditions that have limited other material designs.

If it can be made quickly, and at large scale, the superabsorbent gel could be used as a passive water harvester, particularly in the desert and drought-prone regions, where the material could continuously absorb vapor, that could then be condensed into drinking water. The researchers also envision that the material could be fit onto air conditioning units as an energy-saving, dehumidifying element.

“We’ve been application-agnostic, in the sense that we mostly focus on the fundamental properties of the material,” says Carlos Díaz-Marin, a mechanical engineering graduate student and member of the Device Research Lab at MIT. “But now we are exploring widely different problems like how to make air conditioning more efficient and how you can harvest water. This material, because of its low cost and high performance, has so much potential.”

Díaz-Marin and his colleagues have published their results in a paper appearing today in Advanced Materials. The study’s MIT co-authors are Gustav Graeber, Leon Gaugler, Yang Zhong, Bachir El Fil, Xinyue Liu, and Evelyn Wang.

“Best of both worlds”

In MIT’s Device Research Lab, researchers are designing novel materials to solve the world’s energy and water challenges. In looking for materials that can help to harvest water from the air, the team zeroed in on hydrogels — slippery, stretchy gels that are mostly made from water and a bit of cross-linked polymer. Hydrogels have been used for years as absorbent material in diapers because they can swell and soak up a large amount of water when it comes in contact with the material.

Source:news.mit.edu

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Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Packing Pressure:

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:

Packing Pressure:

The final (true not apparent) density of a molded polymer is not packing pressure dependent.

Your packing pressure will allow you to compensate for shrinkage by compressing the melt in the cavity. As a transient, you will indeed increase the melt density as you pack.

But at the end of the process, after ejection and cooling, the part density will be controlled by the polymer thermodynamics, not by the process.

So packing will change the part volume, the weight, the thickness along the flow, and dimensions in general, but not the material density.

Well, to be very precise, in crystalline materials pressure may influence crystallization (one way or the other in fact) leading to relatively small density variations.

But if we look at amorphous materials for the sake of simplicity, disregarding voids and associated apparent density, the actual material density will be the same near or far from the gate, with a lot or very little packing !

Source:Vito Leo

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Today's KNOWLEDGE share: PET Vs PETG: THE MAIN DIFFERENCES

Today's KNOWLEDGE share:

PET Vs PETG: THE MAIN DIFFERENCES

A basic formula for making polyesters, like PET and PETG, is the combination of acid monomers plus glycol monomers. In the case of PET, the acid is usually DMT (dimethyl terephthalate) and the glycol is ethylene glycol. These two monomers are the building blocks of the final long-chain polymer: polyethylene

terephthalate.

For creating PETG, the same monomers are used, except some ethylene glycol (30-60%) is substituted with a different glycol monomer, CHDM (cyclohexanedimethanol). So it’s not that PETG has significantly more or less glycol than PET, it just has a different type of glycol. Therefore, the -G in PETG represents the chemical modification of the typical PET structure with CHDM glycol units, or “glycol-modified” for short.

The key impact of this glycol modification from a physical standpoint is that semi-crystalline PET gets transformed into amorphous PETG. Let’s quickly review what crystallinity has to do with polymers and why its relevant to 3D printing.

In a few words, amorphous polymers have all their chains arranged randomly, much like a bowl of spaghetti. Semi-crystalline polymers contain regions of crystallinity where chains are highly-ordered and densely packed. This has an enormous impact on material properties.

Semi-crystalline materials are generally more rigid compared to a totally amorphous counterpart, as crystalline regions can function as reinforcement. This holds true for semi-crystalline PET and amorphous PETG.

While cooling, semi-crystalline materials are prone to warping caused by changes in density brought on by the formation of crystalline regions. This means amorphous PETG is much more manageable for 3D printing. Semi-crystalline PET, on the other hand, requires stricter printing and ambient temperatures to prevent distortions.

PET also has a slightly higher working temperature compared to PETG due to its crystalline nature. While this may make it more difficult to print with, PET will hold up better in applications that require some thermal resistance.

You may also notice visual differences between the two materials. The purely random nature of the polymer chains in PETG creates glossy or even transparent filaments. PET, as a mixture of crystalline and non-crystalline regions, will have some haziness.

Crystalline structures, like those of PET, don’t play well with extrusion. Crystallization is difficult to control and can begin as soon as the plastic is just a bit too cool. Manufacturers often facilitate extrusion using additives that hinder crystallization.

On the other side, glycol modification of PET renders it an amorphous material that can easily be modeled via extrusion, injection molding, and other thermo-forming processes. This is the key to the success of PETG.

Source:all3dp

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SOLVAY & SYENSQO Unveiled as New Companies Following Proposed Split

Solvay announces the new names of the future independent publicly traded companies that will result from its planned separation into two industry leaders: SOLVAY and SYENSQO.

The new names will be effective upon completion of the planned separation of Solvay, which is on track to be completed in December 2023, following the satisfaction of customary conditions.

SOLVAY: Sustainable Solutions for Essential Needs

SOLVAY, the new name for EssentialCo, will carry on the legacy of mastering the elements that are essential for a sustainable world. It links back to its founders who mastered the soda ash process by achieving a technological breakthrough, which has enabled many other disruptive innovations and was a major step forward in terms of sustainability.

SOLVAY will focus on providing society and generations to come with sustainable solutions meeting their most essential needs such as purifying the air we breathe and the water we drink, preserving our food supplies, protecting our health and well-being, creating eco-friendly clothing, making the tires of our cars more sustainable and cleaning and protecting our homes.

It will comprise leading mono-technology businesses including Soda Ash, Peroxides, Silica, Coatis and Special Chem, which generated approximately €5.6 bn in net sales in 2022.

SYENSQO: Specialty Polymers and Composites:

SYENSQO, the new name for SpecialtyCo, will be a science company of explorers who seek unexpected perspectives, enable breakthrough innovations and explore the future of science.The breakdown of the name is as follows:

->SY links back to the first and last letters in Solvay

->EN is a nod to Ernest Solvay’s name

_>SYENS refers to Solvay’s scientific heritage, which goes back to 1911, when its founder Ernest Solvay brought 24 of the world’s most brilliant scientific minds together - including Albert Einstein and Marie Curie - for the first Solvay Conference. In fact, the impact was so profound that the Unesco World Heritage Committee decided to inscribe the archives of the Solvay Conferences for Physics and Chemistry in its Memory of the World Register.

->Q points to this same 1911 conference, which laid the foundations for Quantum Physics, and launched one of the greatest scientific journeys ever, still feeding cutting-edge innovation today

->And QO is for company:

SYENSQO will play a key role in the future of clean mobility, by making the next generation of EV batteries possible and by advancing green hydrogen and thermoplastic composites. It will bring about breakthroughs in bio-based solutions, natural ingredients, circular solutions, and more.

Source: Solvay/adhsives-specialchem

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Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:COTTONIZATION

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:

COTTONIZATION: MAKING HEMP AND FLAX FIBERS INTO THE BETTER COTTON

These days it’s hard to imagine that fabrics were ever made out of anything other than cotton or synthetic fibers, yet it wasn’t too long ago that hemp and flax-based fabrics — linen — were the rule rather than the exception. Cotton production has for centuries had the major disadvantages of requiring a lot of water and pesticides, and harvesting the cotton was very labor-intensive, making cotton rather expensive. In order to make separating the cotton fibers from the seed easier, improved versions of the cotton gin (‘cotton engine’) were developed, with the 19th century’s industrial revolution enabling a fully automated version.

What makes cotton attractive is the ease of processing these fibers, which are part of the seed pod. These fibers are 25 mm – 60 mm long, 12 μm – 45 μm fine fibers that can be pulled off the seeds and spun into yarn or whatever else is needed for the final product, much like wool. Hemp and flax fibers, in contrast, are extracted from the plant stem in the form of bast fibers. Rather than being pure cellulose, these fibers are mostly a mixture of cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose and pectin, which provide the plant with rigidity, but also makes these fibers coarse and stiff.

The main purpose of cottonization is to remove as much of these non-cellulosic components as possible, leaving mostly pure cellulose fibers that not only match the handleability of cotton fibers, but are also generally more durable. Yet cottonization used to be a long and tedious process, which made bast fiber-based textiles expensive. Fortunately, the steam explosion cottonization method that we’ll be looking at here may be one of the methods by which the market will be blown open for these green and durable fibers.

Cotton is somewhat unique in that the plants have always been present in the Old and New World, where civilizations began first using them for fabric many thousands of years ago.  Gossypium barbadense was the cotton species domesticated for this purpose in America, and Gossypium herbaceum in Africa and India.

Today, China dominates global production of hemp, and France is the largest producer in Europe. Concerns over the water and pesticide usage involved with cotton production are gradually increasing the need for a cheap way to use bast fibers from hemp and other plants that have a significantly lower environmental footprint.

Source:hackaday.com

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Hydrogen Powered Record Breaker, The BMW H2R, to be Unleashed at Goodwood

Hydrogen powered record breaker, the BMW H2R, to be unleashed at Goodwood.

The new BMW 5 Series will be seen in action for the first time in the UK at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2023. Taking to the hill too will be the ground-breaking BMW H2R Record Car alongside the new BMW iX5 Hydrogen.

The new and exclusive BMW M3 CS will tackle the famous 1.16-mile course whilst the Festival will also provide a stage for the BMW 3.0 CSL – the most exclusive automobile BMW M has ever produced. Visitors will be able to see the latest models from BMW’s exciting range, including the new BMW i7 M70 xDrive, BMW XM Label Red and BMW M2.

All-electric drive arrives in the BMW 5 Series Saloon for the first time. The BMW i5 eDrive40 offers up to 361-mile range whilst the BMW i5 M60 xDrive delivers scintillating performance with 0-62mph in 3.8s. The new generation of the world’s most successful business saloon will be seen on the hill in the ‘First Glance’ category and on display in the Stable Yard and at Trackside.
BMW heralded the future of the hydrogen-powered production car with the BMW H2R, by setting nine world records back in 2004. Using an adapted version of the 6.0-litre 12-cylinder engine taken from the BMW 760i, the aerodynamically efficient carbon fibre-bodied H2R will thrill Festival visitors as it ‘roars’ up the hill.
Representing BMW’s latest iteration of hydrogen fuel cell technology is the BMW iX5 Hydrogen which will join the H2R on the hill. Based on the current BMW X5, it was first unveiled as a concept at the IAA show in 2019. After four years of development work, a double-digit vehicle fleet is now being employed internationally for demonstration and trial purposes for various target groups.

Signalling ‘go’ on the hill, will be the new and exclusive BMW M3 CS. BMW M GmbH’s latest special-edition model teams a 550 hp six-cylinder in-line engine with an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission and the M xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system. These combine to produce a 0 to 62 mph time of just 3.4 seconds and on to an electronically limited 188 mph top speed.

Helping steer the BMWs up the hill will be four-times BTCC champion and West Surrey Racing driver Colin Turkington. He will be joined on the hill by team-mates Jake Hill, Stephen Jelley and Adam Morgan along with racing driver Charlie Martin throughout the long weekend.

The Stable Yard, once again dedicated to BMW, will tell the story of Vision iCircular to illustrate the company’s determination to become the most sustainable manufacturer. Visitors will not only be able to see the brand’s latest range of all-electric and electrified models but also many notable cars from the past fifty years.

Source:hydrogen-central
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