How a Gel Can Solve the Water Crisis

Author: Arga (Young Reporter, Indonesia)

What are your thoughts about water? Do you think of it as one of the most sustainable resources? Is it easy to get? Then you’re partially right, since you might also know that the water crisis is a big problem in our world. Not everyone lives in an area where water is easy to get, but at the same time, it’s a necessity.

Thanks to scientists at the University of Texas at Austin, we may have an answer. According to SciTechDaily, a research conducted by engineers and scientists found that we can get water from thin air and store it in a gel that’s known as a water soil. It’s suited to high-humidity areas.

And the man behind this creation was Gunha Yu, a professor of materials science and mechanical engineering. He envisioned other ways to get water in different circumstances, “This new work is about practical solutions that people can use to get water in the hottest, driest places on Earth. This could allow millions of people without consistent access to drinking water to have simple, water generating devices at home that they can easily operate.”

Gunha Yu and his research team has been working to create this gel using low-cost materials such as using renewable cellulose and konjac gum that costs 2$ per Kilogram.

“This is not something you need an advanced degree to use, it’s straightforward enough that anyone can make it at home if they have the materials.” Said by Youhong ‘Nancy’ Cup in the Nature Communications Journal.