Researchers develop membrane that can generate power, clean water
Researchers develop membrane that can generate power, clean water
By Sam Garcia / Staff writer, with CNA
A research team at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST) has developed a thin membrane dubbed the “black magic carpet” that uses solar and wave energy to generate electricity and purify water.
The black magic carpet is a multifunctional super-thin graphene membrane developed by a team of researchers led by NTUST Graduate Institute of Applied Science and Technology professor Hung Wei-song (洪維松), the university said in a news release today.
The research was published in the international journal Advanced Function Materials.
A research team from National Taiwan University of Science and Technology pose with their invention in an undated photograph.
Photo courtesy of the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
It also won first place in the Taiwan division of last year’s Net Zero Tech International Contest, as well as an Excellence Award at last year’s Wah Lee Innovative Materials Competition organized by the Materials Research Society Taiwan.
The multifunctional graphene membrane can evaporate water with solar energy, generate electricity, degrade pollutants and clean itself, Hung said.
The team hopes the “black magic carpet” would be able to generate power, filter water and sense environmental changes, with potential applications in green energy and smart materials, he said.
“The thin membrane is like a towel that can breathe,” Hung said.
The top layer of the membrane absorbs the sun’s energy turning seawater into water vapor, while the lower layer generates electricity from waves, he said.
When exposed to sunlight, the membrane converts seawater into clean water through evaporation and desalination, Hung said.
Meanwhile, waves or wind trigger its piezoelectric structure to generate electricity, allowing it to supply both water and power in remote, offshore or drought-prone areas, he added.
The team has developed the technology into a modular design that is suitable for building mobile water-and-power systems in offshore islands or deserts with ample sunlight and nearby water, but limited electricity.
This approach emphasizes low-carbon manufacturing and low-energy operation, following net-zero trends and bringing the invention closer to real-world industrial applications.