A device has been created to turn dirty water into useful resources (2 photos)

Researchers from the University of CambridgeThey have created a device that runs on solar energy and is capable of producing hydrogen fuel and clean drinking water simultaneously from polluted or ordinary sea water.

Scientists placed a photocatalyst that absorbsUV light onto a nanostructured carbon mesh, which in turn absorbs infrared light. This is how they wanted to achieve the process of generating water vapor, which is used by a photocatalyst to create hydrogen. The porous carbon mesh, treated to repel water, helped the photocatalyst float and kept it away from the water below so contaminants did not interfere with its operation. In addition, this configuration allowed the device to use more energy from the sun. Scientists also managed to imitate transpiration in technology - the process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from above-ground parts, such as leaves, stems and flowers.

Then they tested their device,using real open water sources, including water from the River Cam in central Cambridge and murky industrial waste from the paper industry. As a result, in artificial seawater, the device retained 80% of its original performance even after 154 hours. The researchers say that because the photocatalyst is isolated from contaminants in the water source and remains relatively dry, the device can maintain its operational stability for a very long time.

The development can solve global problems with drinking water and fuel in third world countries. The study was published in the journal Nature Water.