Weather of Arabia - Researchers at Khalifa University in the United Arab Emirates are exploring a new use for “carbon graphene”, sometimes known as the “miracle material” or “wonder material,” according to a report published by the American CNN network.
Graphene is a million times thinner than a single human hair, and at the same time stronger than steel. According to a CNN report published on Wednesday, the exploration carried out by experts is related to examining the possibility of using it in the production of drinking water.
Graphene is a material extracted from the Earth, extremely light and flexible, and has the potential to achieve innovative technical developments across various industries, from electronics to transportation.
“Here in the UAE, all of our water is potable,” says Hassan Arafat, senior director of the Graphene Research and Innovation Center at Khalifa University. “It is actually desalinated water, so this sector is gaining special importance in both the economy and society.”
The process of “desalination” refers to removing salt from seawater, followed by purifying the water to make it safe to drink. Not only is desalinated water important in the UAE, but more than 300 million people around the world depend on this technology.
Given the threats of climate change and pollution to our “limited supply of fresh water,” Arafat expects this number to increase, and points to future challenges related to desalination technologies, which may be expensive and energy-intensive.
In the context of the aforementioned challenges, graphene plays an important role, and Arafat explains that they are “working to develop an improved membrane using this material, which can make the process more efficient and less expensive.”
“This year we witnessed a huge number of disasters due to climate change,” he says, adding that “water shortages constitute a global problem, and it is getting worse day by day,” stressing the importance of contributing to finding solutions to these problems.
The Research and Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC2D) was established at Khalifa University in 2022, with investments from the Abu Dhabi government, with the aim of pursuing research and innovation in the field of graphene and its production.
Arafat explains that "graphene" can enhance the life of the membrane by preventing the accumulation of "dirt", which occurs when bacteria collect on the filter and lead to quality deterioration, noting that this process is related to the water desalination mechanism they are working on.
He adds that using graphene to improve the performance of filters can reduce energy consumption and reduce water desalination costs.
He explains that even in small quantities, graphene significantly improves the performance of membranes in producing water.
Currently, the membranes used in water desalination have entered the development stage, and will be produced and scaled up next year at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, a partner of the RIC2D research center for graphene, according to Arafat.
Arafat notes that the membranes will then be “tested at the desalination plant.”
The CNN report points to multiple efforts to explore and use graphene in water desalination technologies. For example, Watercycle Technologies is developing graphene-enhanced membranes to remove certain metals from water.
In the same vein, the Research and Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC2D) is exploring other applications for the material, such as sustainable building materials with the potential to reduce CO2 emissions, and providing solutions for renewable hydrogen energy.
Despite the challenges in producing graphene on a large scale, researchers at the center are working to develop ways to reduce costs and time “without compromising quality,” Arafat explains.
The American Network report highlights the options available for producing graphene, and among these options is the use of methane gas, which consists of carbon and hydrogen and is produced by the oil and gas industry.
The UAE is one of the world's largest oil producers, with about 30% of the country's GDP coming from hydrocarbons. Despite this, the UAE is striving to diversify its economy and reach zero emissions by 2050.
Graphene can contribute to achieving both of these goals, as demonstrated by a collaboration between the Research and Innovation Center for Graphene and 2D Materials (RIC2D) and UK startup Levidian, which has developed a proprietary process to extract carbon (the primary component of graphene) from methane.
By tapping into the UAE's supply chain, there is a "great opportunity to accelerate the adoption of graphene to support climate change," according to James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Manchester, the graphene innovation center at the University of Manchester.
Khalifa University in the United Arab Emirates is making innovative use of graphene for water desalination. Researchers at the university's Graphene Research and Innovation Center are developing a graphene-enhanced membrane used to improve water desalination efficiency and reduce costs. Water desalination is an important issue in the UAE due to the growing need for potable water.
Khalifa University is using graphene, which is known to be a million times thinner than a human hair and at the same time stronger than steel, to develop a membrane that could improve the performance of water desalination technologies. The researchers aim to provide an effective and economical solution using graphene to improve the quality of water desalination and improve its efficiency.
Furthermore, researchers are exploring other uses for graphene, such as sustainable building materials and renewable hydrogen energy solutions. These initiatives reflect the UAE's commitment to economic diversification, improving resource sustainability, adopting environmental technology to deal with climate change issues and ensuring water supplies in the region.
Source: alhurra
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