中 En
选择语言
中文 English

Nano Tech Co., Ltd.

TOPHomepage
/
News
/
Industry News
/
Silica nanofiber aerogel for salt-tolerant solar seawater desalination
Check category
Company News
Industry News
RONGYINGBack to list page

Silica nanofiber aerogel for salt-tolerant solar seawater desalination

  • Categories:Industry News
  • Author:
  • Origin:
  • Time of issue:2021-07-26
  • Views:

(Summary description)Billions of people around the world still do not have access to sufficient and clean fresh water. Desalination of solar energy from salt water is considered to be one of the most promising proposals to solve this serious crisis. However, most of the reported evaporators so far still have the problem that the evaporation rate decreases due to the accumulation of salt crystals on the surface. Recently, the research team of researcher Bin Ding of Donghua University and Professor Hongbing Deng of Wuhan University was inspired by the vascular tissue structure, transpiration and antifouling function of reed leaves. The team designed biomimetic layered nanofibers with parallel arranged blood vessels and hydrophobic surfaces. Aerogels are used for high-efficiency and salt-tolerant solar seawater desalination.

The foldable blood vessel walls and soft silica nanofibers give nanofiber aerogels (R-NFAs) inspired by reed leaves excellent mechanical properties and enable them to withstand repeated compressions. In addition, R-NFAs can effectively absorb sunlight (light absorption efficiency: 94.8%) and evaporate salt water into steam, similar to reed leaves (evaporation rate: 1.25 kg m–2 h–1 under 1 sun). More importantly, through the hydrophobic surface and the parallel arrangement of the containers, R-NFAs can work stably in high-concentration salt water (saturated, 26.3 wt%) under high-intensity light (up to 6 sunlight), showing strong resistance Salty.

Silica

Silica nanofiber aerogel for salt-tolerant solar seawater desalination

Silica

Silica nanofiber aerogel for salt-tolerant solar seawater desalination

(Summary description)Billions of people around the world still do not have access to sufficient and clean fresh water. Desalination of solar energy from salt water is considered to be one of the most promising proposals to solve this serious crisis. However, most of the reported evaporators so far still have the problem that the evaporation rate decreases due to the accumulation of salt crystals on the surface. Recently, the research team of researcher Bin Ding of Donghua University and Professor Hongbing Deng of Wuhan University was inspired by the vascular tissue structure, transpiration and antifouling function of reed leaves. The team designed biomimetic layered nanofibers with parallel arranged blood vessels and hydrophobic surfaces. Aerogels are used for high-efficiency and salt-tolerant solar seawater desalination.

The foldable blood vessel walls and soft silica nanofibers give nanofiber aerogels (R-NFAs) inspired by reed leaves excellent mechanical properties and enable them to withstand repeated compressions. In addition, R-NFAs can effectively absorb sunlight (light absorption efficiency: 94.8%) and evaporate salt water into steam, similar to reed leaves (evaporation rate: 1.25 kg m–2 h–1 under 1 sun). More importantly, through the hydrophobic surface and the parallel arrangement of the containers, R-NFAs can work stably in high-concentration salt water (saturated, 26.3 wt%) under high-intensity light (up to 6 sunlight), showing strong resistance Salty.

  • Categories:Industry News
  • Author:
  • Origin:
  • Time of issue:2021-07-26 17:13
  • Views:
Information

Billions of people around the world still do not have access to sufficient and clean fresh water. Desalination of solar energy from salt water is considered to be one of the most promising proposals to solve this serious crisis. However, most of the reported evaporators so far still have the problem that the evaporation rate decreases due to the accumulation of salt crystals on the surface. Recently, the research team of researcher Bin Ding of Donghua University and Professor Hongbing Deng of Wuhan University was inspired by the vascular tissue structure, transpiration and antifouling function of reed leaves. The team designed biomimetic layered nanofibers with parallel arranged blood vessels and hydrophobic surfaces. Aerogels are used for high-efficiency and salt-tolerant solar seawater desalination.

The foldable blood vessel walls and soft silica nanofibers give nanofiber aerogels (R-NFAs) inspired by reed leaves excellent mechanical properties and enable them to withstand repeated compressions. In addition, R-NFAs can effectively absorb sunlight (light absorption efficiency: 94.8%) and evaporate salt water into steam, similar to reed leaves (evaporation rate: 1.25 kg m–2 h–1 under 1 sun). More importantly, through the hydrophobic surface and the parallel arrangement of the containers, R-NFAs can work stably in high-concentration salt water (saturated, 26.3 wt%) under high-intensity light (up to 6 sunlight), showing strong resistance Salty.

Scan the QR code to read on your phone

Previous: Why can aerogel, a material lighter than air, protect it from wind and rain?
Next: Aerogel felt: what reasons will affect the price of aerogel felt
Previous: Why can aerogel, a material lighter than air, protect it from wind and rain?
Next: Aerogel felt: what reasons will affect the price of aerogel felt

Relevant information

Taking the Olympic spirit to show off the style of Nano——The third basketball game of NANO TECH ended successfully 2021-09-03 14:30:04
In order to enhance the communication between the company’s employees, enrich the amateur cultural life of the employees, enhance the employees’ sense of collective honor, enhance cohesion and centripetal force, cultivate corporate culture, and provide a stage for the company’s basketball enthusiasts to show their youth, organized by the company’s comprehensive management department. NANO TECH's third basketball game kicked off at the indoor basketball hall of Binhai Fitness Center at 6 pm on August 10th.
Included in the "Classification of Strategic Emerging Industries", aerogel will usher in an explosion 2021-07-30 15:33:22
Recently, the National Bureau of Statistics released the "Classification of Strategic Emerging Industries (2018)". As one of the materials in the field of sound insulation and heat insulation material manufacturing, aerogel and its products have entered this classification catalog for the first time. The document issued by the National Bureau of Statistics clearly pointed out that the purpose of formulating this classification is to accurately reflect the development plan of national strategic emerging industries during the 13th Five-Year Plan period, and to meet the statistical needs of measuring the scale, structure and speed of the development of strategic emerging industries. This means that products and services that can be listed in this document, such as aerogels and their products, are all "strategic emerging industries" recognized by authoritative organizations such as the National Bureau of Statistics. Strategic emerging industries are based on major cutting-edge technological breakthroughs, representing the new direction of future technology and industrial development, reflecting the development trend of knowledge economy, circular economy, and low-carbon economy in the world today. They are still in the early stages of growth and have great potential for future development. An industry that has an overall driving force and a major leading role in the economy and society. Since ten years ago, my country has always attached great importance to the development and planning of "strategic emerging industries". In 2009, the State Council held the first symposium on the development of strategic emerging industries. The "Strategic Emerging Industries" development plan launched in 2010 framed seven strategic emerging industry development goals in the form of an executive meeting of the State Council. In 2012, the executive meeting of the State Council discussed and approved the "Twelfth Five-Year" National Strategic Emerging Industry Development Plan, which further clarified the key development directions and main tasks of the seven strategic emerging industries. So far, vigorously develop strategic emerging industries. To the "real place". In 2016, the State Council issued the "Thirteenth Five-Year" National Strategic Emerging Industry Development Plan. The plan pointed out that during the 13th Five-Year Plan period, strategic emerging industries should be placed in a more prominent position in economic and social development, and modern The new industrial system promotes sustained and healthy economic and social development. In early 2017, the National Development and Reform Commission issued the "Guiding Catalog for Key Products and Services of Strategic Emerging Industries". The catalog is divided into 8 industries in 5 major areas of strategic emerging industries such as new generation information technology, high-end equipment manufacturing, new materials, biology, new energy, and digital creativity. At the end of 2018, the National Bureau of Statistics released the "Classification of Strategic Emerging Industries (2018)", including: a new generation of information technology industry, high-end equipment manufacturing industry, new material industry, biological industry, new energy automobile industry, new energy industry, energy conservation and environmental protection industry , Digital creative industries, and related service industries.
What are the special advantages of new aerogels 2021-07-30 15:33:12
Aerogel, as the lightest solid in the world, has been favored by many scientists over the years. Recently, scientists have developed a new aerogel—air alloy. This raw material has high strength, durability, Features such as ultra-light weight and planability. The most important thing is that this material has a super-insulating function, which has special meaning for the development of thermal insulation materials and the field of aerospace. The most used raw material in the world may be here, and it will change everything. Aerogel has been around for a while, but innovation has made aerogel skills more perfect and more useful. Aerogel is a low-density solid raw material, which can be obtained by extracting liquid from colloid through supercritical drying process. The common aerogel is silicon aerogel, but this material is very brittle. Through years of research, scientists from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and some companies have developed a new product-air alloy. This air alloy not only has the high strength and durability of traditional plastics, but also has the characteristics of light weight, and the super insulation function found in aerogel is the biggest advantage of this product. Part of the reason why this material is so promising is that it is super planable. Air alloys have extremely low density (0.01~0.9g/cm2), which makes them the lightest solid raw materials on earth. In addition to this low-density characteristic, this material also has super-insulating function and extreme material strength. The polymer raw materials based on this air alloy can bear 20,000 times more than their own weight. The super-insulating property of this material makes scientists extremely shocked, which gradually makes thin and light insulating materials possible. The raw material not only can block temperature, but also has a good effect on blocking sound. In fact, as an acoustic insulator, this material is 100 to 1000 times better than other products on the market. Recently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has developed an ultra-thin and flexible air alloy (as shown below), which is used abundantly in space suits and rocket technology. The mechanical and structural functions of this material are gradually moving forward, and it can even be made into a transparent one that allows sunlight to enter, but it will certainly not affect the thermal insulation function. The future of this material will be grasped by engineers and planners who are constantly working to discover more uses for the material. Many aerogel commercial companies have also been established, and there will even be a company that uses an improved version of aerogel to make high-quality jackets.
What is the thermal insulation principle of aerogel thermal insulation materials 2021-07-30 15:32:58
Aerogels, also known as xerogels, have a density of only 2.75 times the density of air, making it the densest solid in the world. Aerogels can be divided into carbon series, silicon series, sulfur series, metal oxide series, metal series, etc. according to their composition. However, nowadays, silicon aerogels-silica aerogels are more developed and used. Aerogel is a new type of lightweight nanoporous product. It has a nanostructure (typical pore size is less than 50nm, framework particles are 1-20nm), large specific surface area (up to 800-1000㎡/g), and high porosity ( It can be as high as 80%-99.8%) and other characteristics. Generally, the structure and function of aerogels do not change significantly at 800°C. Therefore, aerogels have unparalleled advantages as high-temperature insulation products. Insulation principle of aerogel insulation products (1) Convection: When the diameter of the pores in the aerogel is less than 70nm, the air molecules in the pores lose their ability to move freely and are relatively attached to the pore walls. At this time, the product is in an approximate vacuum state. (2) Radiation: Because the pores in the aerogel are all nano-sized pores and the product itself has a very low volume density, the number of pore walls inside the product tends to be "infinitely large", and each pore wall is covered. The effect of the hot plate is therefore close to the "infinite number of heat shields" effect, which reduces the radiant heat transfer to almost the lowest limit. (3) Heat conduction: Because of the nearly infinite number of nanopores, the heat flow in the solid can only be transferred along the pore walls. The nearly infinite number of pore walls constitutes a nearly "infinite path" effect, which makes the solid heat conduction In order to drop to the lowest limit. Compared with traditional thermal insulation products, nanoporous aerogel thermal insulation products can achieve equivalent thermal insulation effects with lighter weight and smaller volume. It has good thermal stability, thermal shock resistance and thermal insulation, which can replace traditional mineral wool, so that the house can be insulated and warm. If it is used in high-rise buildings, it can replace general curtain wall glass, greatly reduce the weight of the building, and can play a fire prevention effect. In addition, replacing traditional thermal insulation products with aerogel thermal insulation composite products on the top of pipelines, furnaces and other thermal equipment can greatly reduce heat loss. Applying nanoporous super insulation product aerogel to the storage tanks, pipes and collectors of solar water heaters, the heat collection efficiency can be increased by more than one time, and the heat loss will be reduced to less than 30% of the current level. In addition, before and after use, it can insist on not powdering, not brittle, not aging, and not supporting the growth of mold, and the induction function will remain unchanged for a long time; the service life is long, and the life span of the building can be maintained.
The practical application of aerogel starts from the aerospace field 2021-07-30 15:32:46
Aerogels have multiple functions and are widely used. For example, aerogels can be used in environmental protection by taking advantage of their multi-surface specific area and strong adsorption capacity; using their porous, shock-absorbing and anti-vibration characteristics, they can be used for explosion-proof and energy-absorbing requirements; using aerogel materials for super It has the characteristics of light insulation, and it is used in mountaineering clothing and other fields. The practical use of aerogel started from the aerospace category. On the Russian "Peace" space station and the US "Mars Pathfinder" probe, aerogel materials are used for thermal insulation. The aerogel materials can withstand temperatures from -196 to 1400 degrees Celsius, and because of their extremely low thermal conductivity, It can ensure the normal operation of the detector under extreme temperatures. NASA’s "Stardust" spacecraft also uses aerogel to collect comet dust. The porous size of the aerogel and its extremely light weight make the aerogel look like a soft baseball glove, and then let the comet fly at high speed. The dust stopped after running for a while. Up to now, the most widely used aerogel material is its excellent thermal insulation function. With aerogel composite insulation felt as the main product, aerogel materials have a wide range of applications in industrial pipe networks and kilns, petrochemical equipment, construction, cryogenic equipment, and cold insulation. Aerogel composite thermal insulation felt has the advantages of good thermal insulation, A-level fire protection, high hydrophobicity, and long service life. It sits on the top of the pyramid of thermal insulation materials with absolute advantages.

Maybe you still want to know

搜索
Search

© 2021 Nano Tech Co., Ltd.  |  浙ICP备2021023295号-1