Turning Fruit Waste into Solar Desalination Solution

Date:24 Mar 2023

Country: Singapore

Application

• Water Purification: Uses MXene from fruit waste in solar stills for efficient water desalination.

Description

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have developed a method to convert fruit waste, like coconut husks and orange peels, into MXene materials for solar desalination. These MXenes, with high light-to-heat conversion efficiency, are used in solar stills to purify water. The process reduces material costs and improves water production rates by 50%. The resulting purified water meets WHO drinking standards, making it a sustainable solution for clean water in remote areas.

Pathway Description:

The process involves converting fruit waste, such as coconut husks and orange peels, into MXene materials through a two-step carbonization process. These MXenes are then used as solar absorbers in solar stills, which capture solar energy and convert it into heat for water desalination. The resulting solar still prototype significantly improves water production rates. This method is cost-effective and uses organic waste to produce valuable materials for water purification.