Nanoporous sponges for atmospheric water harvesting

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Water scarcity threatens more and more people in the world - examples from various regions highlight the severity of this issue. Cape Town (South Africa) imposed stringent water restrictions in 2018 in response to shortages. Closer to home, water restrictions were put into place in Quebec in the summer of 2020, and First Nation communities have been confronted with fresh water issues for years. These examples illustrate that water scarcity is a ubiquitous issue, even in Canada, and this is exacerbated by climate change. Alternate water sources, including adsorption from the atmosphere, are needed to secure a fresh water supply. Nanoporous sponges (NPS) are new carbon-based adsorbents synthesized via the pyrolysis of low-cost materials, achieving comparable performance to metal organic framework (MOF) based systems, but at significantly lower cost. This material was developed at Polytechnique Montreal, in partnership with McGill University and Awn Nanotech, via a collaborative research endeavour started in 2017. The proposed research aims to bridge the gap between lab scale prototyping and end-user uptake by addressing key fundamental issues. Specifically, we aim to: (1) Create a roadmap for NPS synthesis scale-up and evaluate new methods for improved synthesis and functionalization; (2) Identify the key parameters impacting water capture and subsequent release through both theoretical modelling and experimental validation, and quantify energy requirements; and (3) Fabricate and test next generations of water capture prototypes based on NPS technology and benchmark them against other adsorbents, while validating water quality. This high-risk, high-reward project will first and foremost impact Canada's at-risk population - First Nation communities will be key participants in prototype evaluation, with the collaboration of community leaders and social scientists well-versed in technology uptake. Further effects will be felt in the Canadian economy, both through direct markets, but also through the creation of high-value jobs in the advanced materials sector, and the establishment of Canada as a leader in the field of water resource generation, committed to helping vulnerable communities affected by water scarcity.