IP Library Granted Patent US 12,491,471
Granted Patent B2
US 12,491,471 · App. 17/799,454 · Granted Dec 9, 2025

Freshwater harvesting assembly utilizing water-sorption material within hierarchical component

Inventor: Shing-Chung Josh Wong (Akron, OH)
Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON
B01D53/261B01D5/0006B01D53/04B01D53/265B01D53/28E03B3/28B01D2253/106B01D2253/202B01D2253/204B01D2257/80
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,491,471
App. No.
17/799,454
Granted
Dec 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A freshwater harvesting assembly includes a micro-scale component selected from a polymer, a foam, and a membrane; a water-sorption material selected from metal-organic framework (MOF), nanosilica gel, and superabsorbent polymer; wherein the water-sorption material is incorporated within the micro-scale component to thereby provide a water-sorption-material-containing micro-scale component; and a housing carrying the water-sorption-material-containing micro-scale component.

Claims (17)

1 . A freshwater harvesting assembly comprising

a micro-scale component, wherein the micro-scale component includes a polymer selected from electrospun polymer fibers and gel spun polymer fibers;

a water-sorption material selected from metal-organic framework (MOF), nanosilica gel, and superabsorbent polymer;

wherein the water-sorption material is incorporated within the micro-scale component to thereby provide a water-sorption-material-containing micro-scale component; and

a housing carrying the water-sorption-material-containing micro-scale component, wherein the housing is an evaporator of a vapor compression refrigeration cycle system, the evaporator including coils having interstices therebetween, wherein the micro-scale component is provided within the interstices between the coils.

2 . The freshwater harvesting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing is selected from a backpack, a cup, and a vehicle, the vehicle being selected from automobiles, watercraft, aircraft, aerial drones, and sea drones.

3 . The freshwater harvesting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the freshwater harvesting assembly is capable of collecting at least 0.5 gallons of water per hour.

4 . The freshwater harvesting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the freshwater harvesting assembly is capable of collecting at least 10 gallon of water per hour.

5 . The freshwater harvesting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the water-sorption material is the metal-organic framework.

6 . The freshwater harvesting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the water-sorption material is the metal-organic framework and is selected from the group consisting of MOF-841, Cr-MIL-101, Co 2 Cl 2 (BTDD), Zr-MOF-808, Al-MIL-53, Ti-MIL-125, Zr-UiO-66, Ti-MIL-125-NH 2 , Zr-UiO-66-NH 2 , Zn-ZIF-8, and Cu-HKUST-1.

7 . The freshwater harvesting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is the electrospun polymer fibers.

8 . The freshwater harvesting assembly of claim 1 , wherein the freshwater harvesting assembly is powered by a green energy source selected from wind energy and solar energy.

9 . A freshwater harvesting assembly comprising

a micro-scale component, wherein the micro-scale component includes a polymer selected from electrospun polymer fibers and gel spun polymer fibers;

a water-sorption material selected from metal-organic framework (MOF), nanosilica gel, and superabsorbent polymer, wherein the water-sorption material includes from 60 wt. % to 80 wt. % of the metal-organic framework and from 20 wt. % to 40 wt. % of either the nanosilica gel or the superabsorbent polymer;

wherein the water-sorption material is incorporated within the micro-scale component to thereby provide a water-sorption-material-containing micro-scale component; and

a housing carrying the water-sorption-material-containing micro-scale component.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2022
From: WONG, SHING-CHUNG JOSH
To: THE UNIVERSITY OF AKRON
Reel/Frame 060909/0947 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62976462 · Feb 14, 2020
Related Publication 20230084610A1 · Mar 16, 2023
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