{"id":26935,"date":"2016-06-16T05:48:33","date_gmt":"2016-06-16T12:48:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lifeboat.com\/blog\/2016\/06\/nanorods-could-harvest-water-in-dry-climates"},"modified":"2017-06-04T10:14:16","modified_gmt":"2017-06-04T17:14:16","slug":"nanorods-could-harvest-water-in-dry-climates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lifeboat.com\/blog\/2016\/06\/nanorods-could-harvest-water-in-dry-climates","title":{"rendered":"Nanorods could harvest water in dry climates"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Sometimes it\u2019s the accidental discoveries<\/a> that make the biggest impact. Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have learned<\/a> that carbon-rich nanorods created in a botched experiment might be ideal for harvesting water. When there\u2019s relatively low humidity (below 50 percent), the rods trap water inside their gaps; if it\u2019s any more humid, however, they promptly expel that water as vapor. It\u2019s a very unusual trait that\u2019s likely caused by water condensing into a \u201cbridge\u201d in the nanorods, whose surface tension forces them to close and eventually kick the water out.<\/p>\n

If scientists can refine the shape of these nanorods and get them to spray water on a consistent basis (only 10 to 20 percent do that right now), the implications are huge. They\u2019d be ideal for harvesting and purifying water in dry climates<\/a> \u2014 you could gather ambient moisture until there\u2019s enough to drink. Alternately, you could use it for anti-sweat clothing that soaks up your perspiration and spits it outside. All told, you\u2019d have direct control over just when and how you get water.<\/p>\n