BEIJING, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Researchers from China's Xiamen University and their Australian counterparts have jointly developed a light-responsive adsorbent for sustainable seawater desalination.
The adsorbent with high efficiency and low energy consumption can quickly adsorb metal ions from water based on a metal-organic framework, said the university.
Under dark conditions or ultraviolet radiation, the material can adsorb cations and anions from water. Thereafter, the adsorbent releases the adsorbed salts under sunlight, achieving the dual goal of water desalination and sustainability.
When the adsorbent and the widely used prevailing method are respectively applied to desalinate a ton of brackish water of the same concentration, the newly developed adsorbent yields a larger quantity of freshwater and consumes less electricity, said the university.
The adsorbent opens up a new prospect for developing energy-efficient and sustainable technology for seawater desalination, according to the research findings published in the journal Nature Sustainability. Enditem
