Polyzwitterionic Hydrogels for Efficient Atmospheric Water Harvesting

Atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) is regarded as one of the promising strategies for freshwater production desirable to provide sustainable water for landlocked and arid regions. Hygroscopic materials have attracted widespread attention because of their water harvesting performance. However, the introduction of many inorganic salts often leads to aggregation and leakage issues in practical use. Here, polyzwitterionic hydrogels are developed as an effective AWH material platform. Via anti-polyelectrolyte effects, the hygroscopic salt coordinated with polymer chains could capture moisture and enhance the swelling property, leading to a strong moisture sorption capacity. The hydrogel shows superior AWH performance (0.62 g g(-1), 120 minutes for equilibrium at 30 % relative humidity) and produces 5.87 L kg(-1) freshwater per day. It is anticipated that the polyzwitterionic hydrogels with unique salt-responsive properties could provide new insights into the design and synthesis of next-generation AWH materials.

Automated summary

Atmospheric water harvesting is a promising strategy for providing sustainable freshwater to landlocked and arid regions. Polyquaternary ammonium salt hydrogels have been developed as an effective material platform for AWH, with superior performance and the ability to produce significant amounts of freshwater.