Scientists have developed a gel film that draws a bucket of water a day straight from the air

Water scarcity is a major problem for much of the world's population, but with the right equipment, drinking water can be obtained straight from the air. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin demonstrated one suitable solution is a gel film capable of drawing several liters of water daily, even in very dry climates.

The gel consists of two cheap ingredients: cellulose, derived from plant cell walls, and konjac gum, a widely used food additive. These two components form a film that can absorb water from the air and then release it when heated, without requiring much energy.

Making such a gel is not difficult: the ingredients are mixed, then poured into a mold, where they harden for two minutes. After that, the composition is subjected to freeze drying. It can be given almost any desired shape. The size also varies.

In tests, the gel film was able to squeeze an astonishing amount of water out of the air. At a relative humidity of 30%, it allowed to obtain 13 liters per day per kilogram of gel. And when the humidity dropped to 15% - which is not enough even for desert air - it turned out more than 6 liters.

The team says the performance of the new gel film can be improved by creating thicker structures, absorbent layers, or other bulks of material. In any case, the cost of such a composition will remain low - in the United States it is only two dollars per kilogram. This is a critical factor in scaling up production and delivering components to remote areas and developing countries with water shortages.