Preparation and properties of a metal-organic frameworks polymer material based on Sa-son seed gum capable of simultaneously absorbing liquid water and water vapor

• Published in: International journal of biological macromolecules Vol. 269; no. Pt 2; p. 132158
• Main Authors: Liu, Xiaomei, Xu, Xueqing, Xu, Rongnian, Wang, Na, Yang, Fenghong, Yang, Cailing, Kong, Yanrong, Litaor, M. Iggy, Lei, Ziqiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.06.2024
• Subjects: adsorbents; Atmospheric water harvesting (AWH); China; copolymerization; dry environmental conditions; evaporation rate; free radicals; freshwater; hydrogels; liquids; Metal-organic frameworks; plant gums; polymers; Sa-son seed gum; water conservation; water uptake; water vapor; China; Atmospheric water harvesting (AWH); Metal-organic frameworks; Sa-son seed gum
• ISSN: 0141-8130; 1879-0003; 1879-0003
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132158

Atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) technology has attracted significant attention as an effective strategy to tackle the global shortage of freshwater resources. Work has focused on the use of hydrogel-based composite adsorbents in water harvesting and water conservation. The approaches adopted to make use of hygroscopic inorganic salts which subject to a “salting out” effect. In this study, we report the first use of modified UIO-66-NH2 as a functional steric cross-linker and Sa-son seed gum was used as polymeric substrate to construct super hygroscopic hydrogels by free radical copolymerization. The maximum water uptake on SMAGs (572 cm3·g−1) outperforms pure UIO-66-NH2 (317 cm3·g−1). Simultaneously, our first attempt to use it for anti-evaporation applications in an arid environment (Lanzhou, China) simulating sandy areas. The evaporation rate of the anti-evaporation material treated with 0.20 % super moisture-absorbent gels (SMAGs) decreased by 6.1 % over 64 h period under natural condition in Lanzhou, China. The prepared material can not only absorb liquid water but also water vapor, which can provide a new way for water collection and conservation technology. The design strategy of this material has wide applications ranging from atmospheric water harvesting materials to anti-evaporation technology. •We report the first use of modified UiO-66-NH2 as a functional cross-linker to construct hygroscopic hydrogels.•The SMAGs can not only absorb liquid water but also water vapor.•The SMAGs was first attempted for anti-evaporation applications in an arid environment simulating a sandy area.•This strategy greatly expands the available monomers, crosslinking agents, and polymers in this field.