In the past, synthetic plants were used to complement the decoration of domestic or business spaces.
However, scientists at ORNL (Oak Ridge National Laboratory), the United States Department of Energy Sciences, have seen beyond this use, opting for the development of synthetic trees who have endowed them with the ability to replicate the operation of its natural referents to be implemented in specific applications.
In what way? Through the manufacture of synthetic sheets to which they attached new layers that retain the vapor, complemented with silicon microchambers implanted in a wet and nanoporous disk.
In this sense, the chambers present in the upper layer act by imitating the stomata or pores of natural leaves, opening and closing as a way to regulate the water captured by them, while the disk layer replicates the natural tissue of the leaf. .
Adding the pores to the design represented a favorable decision by obtaining a considerable increase in the overall performance, showing results that exceeded the expectations initially set.
When exposed to dry air, the stomatal-based design had a promising performance in terms of self-stabilization under this thermal condition.
Simpler and cheaper
In order to obtain a less expensive and complex result, the researchers were able to demonstrate the effectiveness of the nanoporous disc when used alone without the silicon chambers on top in the task of managing humidity and attenuating the levels of humidity. desiccation by capturing moisture within the structure corresponding to the nanopores.
In the past, the development of synthetic trees has been seen by the geophysicist at the Center for Earth Engineering at Columbia University, New York, Dr. Klaus Lackner, who designed them by endowing them with the ability to process a larger volume of CO2 compared to natural trees, thus helping to reduce the excessive burning of fossil fuels, as well as the effects generated by global warming.
