Water uptake properties of lithium chloride modified wood and its application in water collection

As global water scarcity escalates into a pressing environmental challenge, advancing atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) technologies becomes imperative. This study presents a solar-driven wood-based AWH system using an innovative hygroscopic composite material, DW@LiCl. Through selective lignin removal, natural wood is transformed into delignified wood (DW) featuring a three-dimensional microporous architecture and enhanced surface area. Subsequent infusion with lithium chloride (LiCl) creates a biohybrid material that synergizes sustainable biomass properties with high-performance salt hygroscopicity. The composite demonstrates dual-phase functionality: rapid moisture capture (2.06% gravimetric uptake in 10 h at 90% RH during nocturnal adsorption) and efficient solar-triggered water release (75% desorption within 30 min under 1 00000 lx irradiation). Cyclic stability tests reveal exceptional reusability, with the material retaining 92% of its initial water uptake capacity after 10 adsorption-desorption cycles. Distinct from conventional AWH designs, DW@LiCl innovatively bridges ecological sustainability with engineering efficiency, leveraging wood’s inherent capillary transport and LiCl’s deliquescent behavior while circumventing energy-intensive regeneration processes. This biomass-based approach establishes a scalable framework for decentralized water production, particularly, offering a sustainable alternative to synthetic polymer-based systems.