CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS / BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA — Certain parts of the world still lack access to safe water, but a new contraption made by a team from the University of California, Berkeley and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology might soon change that. <br /> <br />The device consists of metal-organic framework, or MOF crystals pressed into a thin sheet and placed in a chamber between a solar absorber and a condenser plate, Science Magazine reported. <br /> <br />MOFs are a combination of organic and inorganic materials in a tightly packed matrix. Specific uses depend on the type of combination used. While some MOFs absorb gas, this particular one excels at absorbing water. <br /> <br />The chamber is left open at night, allowing air to diffuse through the porous crystals, and water to attach to its interior surface. <br /> <br />During the day, sunlight heats up the water molecules in the MOF, turning them into vapor that then condenses and is collected below. <br /> <br />When tested under the same conditions as arid and desert areas, the prototype managed to pull 2.8 liters of water over a 12-hour period. <br /> <br />The device is a significant first step, but still holds much room for improvement. For now, the team is working on making it better, particularly in terms of efficiency and output.
