Thermosensitive Hydrogels for emerging engineering applications (TherGel)

The temperature rise in the Mediterranean zone is higher than current global warming trends (+1.1°C). Meanwhile, global warming is projected to potentiate the scarcity in already water-stressed regions. The global demand for freshwater is estimated to accounting for an increase of 20 to 30% above the current level of freshwater resources in the next 10 years, thanks to population growth and agricultural intensification.
Hydrogels have attracted much attention as novel materials in water purification. When modified with thermoabsorber molecules, such as conducting polymers, they can potentiate the desalination processes. The objective of this project is to work on solar evaporation and the use of electrochemical processes to recover pure water from saline solutions. The scale-up of the prototype (TRL 6) for self-water production.

Agency: Agencia Estatal de Investigación, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Cofinanciado por la Unión Europea (PID2021-125257OB-I00).

Principal investigator: Prof. Elaine Armelin Diggroc, Prof. Joan Torras Costa