Turning ocean water into drinking water, without waste

Researchers at the University of Rochester’s Institute of Optics engineered a new desalination method that produces drinking water from seawater without chemical additives. In a study in Light: Science & Applications, Professor Chunlei Guo and his collaborators describe how their solar-powered system uses specially engineered black metal to absorb sunlight. Its self-cleaning surface separates and collects salts, instead of dumping them as harmful brine waste, and from the salts, the system can extract lithium, a key material for rechargeable batteries. The approach could help address global water shortages and growing mineral demand.

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