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20500 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
The image of his great-grandfather has loomed large in the work he has created since 2012 – from the 13-panel series Albert’s Story in 2014 to a 2023 portrait that formed part of his Desert Songs series – but Vincent has never sought to imitate the recognisable style of his ancestor.
“We have both had to fill our legacies,” he says. “I want the audience to see my work and my name, Vincent Namatjira, with the work of modern art – more portraits, figurative. It’s colourful and bold.”
Namatjira’s 2018 series Legends features land rights campaigner Eddie Mabo, football player Nicky Winmar, songwriter Archie Roach and artist Gordon Bennett. Photograph: Vincent Namatjira/Iwantja Arts, This Is No Fantasy
Many of Vincent’s portraits pay affectionate tribute to his heroes, including his artist father-in-law, Kunmanara (Jimmy) Pompey, Archie Roach, Nicky Winmar and Eddie Koiki Mabo. |
20501 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
“We have both had to fill our legacies,” he says. “I want the audience to see my work and my name, Vincent Namatjira, with the work of modern art – more portraits, figurative. It’s colourful and bold.”
Namatjira’s 2018 series Legends features land rights campaigner Eddie Mabo, football player Nicky Winmar, songwriter Archie Roach and artist Gordon Bennett. Photograph: Vincent Namatjira/Iwantja Arts, This Is No Fantasy
Many of Vincent’s portraits pay affectionate tribute to his heroes, including his artist father-in-law, Kunmanara (Jimmy) Pompey, Archie Roach, Nicky Winmar and Eddie Koiki Mabo.
But he also takes aim at the rich, white and privileged – with status-puncturing irreverence. |
20502 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
“We have both had to fill our legacies,” he says. “I want the audience to see my work and my name, Vincent Namatjira, with the work of modern art – more portraits, figurative. It’s colourful and bold.”
Namatjira’s 2018 series Legends features land rights campaigner Eddie Mabo, football player Nicky Winmar, songwriter Archie Roach and artist Gordon Bennett. Photograph: Vincent Namatjira/Iwantja Arts, This Is No Fantasy
Many of Vincent’s portraits pay affectionate tribute to his heroes, including his artist father-in-law, Kunmanara (Jimmy) Pompey, Archie Roach, Nicky Winmar and Eddie Koiki Mabo.
But he also takes aim at the rich, white and privileged – with status-puncturing irreverence. There’s his 2016 series Prime Ministers, which depicts the seven Australian leaders of Namatjira’s lifetime mugging for the viewer with grey eyes and white teeth. |
20503 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
“I want the audience to see my work and my name, Vincent Namatjira, with the work of modern art – more portraits, figurative. It’s colourful and bold.”
Namatjira’s 2018 series Legends features land rights campaigner Eddie Mabo, football player Nicky Winmar, songwriter Archie Roach and artist Gordon Bennett. Photograph: Vincent Namatjira/Iwantja Arts, This Is No Fantasy
Many of Vincent’s portraits pay affectionate tribute to his heroes, including his artist father-in-law, Kunmanara (Jimmy) Pompey, Archie Roach, Nicky Winmar and Eddie Koiki Mabo.
But he also takes aim at the rich, white and privileged – with status-puncturing irreverence. There’s his 2016 series Prime Ministers, which depicts the seven Australian leaders of Namatjira’s lifetime mugging for the viewer with grey eyes and white teeth. Or 2018’s Vincent & Donald (Happy Birthday), in which Namatjira and Trump share a birthday cake (both men were born on 14 June) alongside a bag of McDonald’s and a red hat that reads “Make APY Great Again”. |
20504 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
Photograph: Vincent Namatjira/Iwantja Arts, This Is No Fantasy
Many of Vincent’s portraits pay affectionate tribute to his heroes, including his artist father-in-law, Kunmanara (Jimmy) Pompey, Archie Roach, Nicky Winmar and Eddie Koiki Mabo.
But he also takes aim at the rich, white and privileged – with status-puncturing irreverence. There’s his 2016 series Prime Ministers, which depicts the seven Australian leaders of Namatjira’s lifetime mugging for the viewer with grey eyes and white teeth. Or 2018’s Vincent & Donald (Happy Birthday), in which Namatjira and Trump share a birthday cake (both men were born on 14 June) alongside a bag of McDonald’s and a red hat that reads “Make APY Great Again”.
Vincent & Donald (Happy Birthday) (2018). The artist and the former US president share the same birthday. |
20505 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
Photograph: Vincent Namatjira/Iwantja Arts, This Is No Fantasy
Many of Vincent’s portraits pay affectionate tribute to his heroes, including his artist father-in-law, Kunmanara (Jimmy) Pompey, Archie Roach, Nicky Winmar and Eddie Koiki Mabo.
But he also takes aim at the rich, white and privileged – with status-puncturing irreverence. There’s his 2016 series Prime Ministers, which depicts the seven Australian leaders of Namatjira’s lifetime mugging for the viewer with grey eyes and white teeth. Or 2018’s Vincent & Donald (Happy Birthday), in which Namatjira and Trump share a birthday cake (both men were born on 14 June) alongside a bag of McDonald’s and a red hat that reads “Make APY Great Again”.
Vincent & Donald (Happy Birthday) (2018). The artist and the former US president share the same birthday. Photograph: Courtesy the artist and This Is No Fantasy
“See, humour,” Vincent says of the latter, pointing to the cake knife his painted self holds ambiguously between a planet Earth-themed chocolate cake and the then US president’s abdomen. |
20506 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
But he also takes aim at the rich, white and privileged – with status-puncturing irreverence. There’s his 2016 series Prime Ministers, which depicts the seven Australian leaders of Namatjira’s lifetime mugging for the viewer with grey eyes and white teeth. Or 2018’s Vincent & Donald (Happy Birthday), in which Namatjira and Trump share a birthday cake (both men were born on 14 June) alongside a bag of McDonald’s and a red hat that reads “Make APY Great Again”.
Vincent & Donald (Happy Birthday) (2018). The artist and the former US president share the same birthday. Photograph: Courtesy the artist and This Is No Fantasy
“See, humour,” Vincent says of the latter, pointing to the cake knife his painted self holds ambiguously between a planet Earth-themed chocolate cake and the then US president’s abdomen.
Vincent often describes his art as a weapon, and despite moments of levity there’s a keen edge of subversion informed by his years in the systems these powerful figures preside over. |
20507 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
Or 2018’s Vincent & Donald (Happy Birthday), in which Namatjira and Trump share a birthday cake (both men were born on 14 June) alongside a bag of McDonald’s and a red hat that reads “Make APY Great Again”.
Vincent & Donald (Happy Birthday) (2018). The artist and the former US president share the same birthday. Photograph: Courtesy the artist and This Is No Fantasy
“See, humour,” Vincent says of the latter, pointing to the cake knife his painted self holds ambiguously between a planet Earth-themed chocolate cake and the then US president’s abdomen.
Vincent often describes his art as a weapon, and despite moments of levity there’s a keen edge of subversion informed by his years in the systems these powerful figures preside over.
skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Saved for Later Free newsletter Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. |
20508 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
Vincent & Donald (Happy Birthday) (2018). The artist and the former US president share the same birthday. Photograph: Courtesy the artist and This Is No Fantasy
“See, humour,” Vincent says of the latter, pointing to the cake knife his painted self holds ambiguously between a planet Earth-themed chocolate cake and the then US president’s abdomen.
Vincent often describes his art as a weapon, and despite moments of levity there’s a keen edge of subversion informed by his years in the systems these powerful figures preside over.
skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Saved for Later Free newsletter Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . |
20509 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
The artist and the former US president share the same birthday. Photograph: Courtesy the artist and This Is No Fantasy
“See, humour,” Vincent says of the latter, pointing to the cake knife his painted self holds ambiguously between a planet Earth-themed chocolate cake and the then US president’s abdomen.
Vincent often describes his art as a weapon, and despite moments of levity there’s a keen edge of subversion informed by his years in the systems these powerful figures preside over.
skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Saved for Later Free newsletter Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. |
20510 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
Photograph: Courtesy the artist and This Is No Fantasy
“See, humour,” Vincent says of the latter, pointing to the cake knife his painted self holds ambiguously between a planet Earth-themed chocolate cake and the then US president’s abdomen.
Vincent often describes his art as a weapon, and despite moments of levity there’s a keen edge of subversion informed by his years in the systems these powerful figures preside over.
skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Saved for Later Free newsletter Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion
“To be honest, I would like the government to apologise [for] taking these young Indigenous people into foster care,” he says. |
20511 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
Vincent often describes his art as a weapon, and despite moments of levity there’s a keen edge of subversion informed by his years in the systems these powerful figures preside over.
skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Saved for Later Free newsletter Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion
“To be honest, I would like the government to apologise [for] taking these young Indigenous people into foster care,” he says. “In reality, we are losing much more of where we’re originally from, and our background, and our history. |
20512 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Saved for Later Free newsletter Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion
“To be honest, I would like the government to apologise [for] taking these young Indigenous people into foster care,” he says. “In reality, we are losing much more of where we’re originally from, and our background, and our history. We have lost a lot of things, our culture, languages and our tradition.”
Indigenous people, we want to be heard and to take a stand Vincent Namatjira
Among prime ministers, royals and chief executives, painted portraits typically convey the power of their position – officially commissioned for palaces, parliaments or boardrooms, with artists granted rare access to their famous sitters. |
20513 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion
“To be honest, I would like the government to apologise [for] taking these young Indigenous people into foster care,” he says. “In reality, we are losing much more of where we’re originally from, and our background, and our history. We have lost a lot of things, our culture, languages and our tradition.”
Indigenous people, we want to be heard and to take a stand Vincent Namatjira
Among prime ministers, royals and chief executives, painted portraits typically convey the power of their position – officially commissioned for palaces, parliaments or boardrooms, with artists granted rare access to their famous sitters. Vincent’s portraits, on the other hand, painted in his studio at Iwantja Arts in Indulkana, are gleefully unofficial and defiant. |
20514 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion
“To be honest, I would like the government to apologise [for] taking these young Indigenous people into foster care,” he says. “In reality, we are losing much more of where we’re originally from, and our background, and our history. We have lost a lot of things, our culture, languages and our tradition.”
Indigenous people, we want to be heard and to take a stand Vincent Namatjira
Among prime ministers, royals and chief executives, painted portraits typically convey the power of their position – officially commissioned for palaces, parliaments or boardrooms, with artists granted rare access to their famous sitters. Vincent’s portraits, on the other hand, painted in his studio at Iwantja Arts in Indulkana, are gleefully unofficial and defiant.
“When I paint the queen on country or the king on country, it’s like taking away their power, putting us level with the rest of the world. |
20515 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
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“To be honest, I would like the government to apologise [for] taking these young Indigenous people into foster care,” he says. “In reality, we are losing much more of where we’re originally from, and our background, and our history. We have lost a lot of things, our culture, languages and our tradition.”
Indigenous people, we want to be heard and to take a stand Vincent Namatjira
Among prime ministers, royals and chief executives, painted portraits typically convey the power of their position – officially commissioned for palaces, parliaments or boardrooms, with artists granted rare access to their famous sitters. Vincent’s portraits, on the other hand, painted in his studio at Iwantja Arts in Indulkana, are gleefully unofficial and defiant.
“When I paint the queen on country or the king on country, it’s like taking away their power, putting us level with the rest of the world. And also, here in Australia, Indigenous people should be more powerful than the royal people. |
20516 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
“In reality, we are losing much more of where we’re originally from, and our background, and our history. We have lost a lot of things, our culture, languages and our tradition.”
Indigenous people, we want to be heard and to take a stand Vincent Namatjira
Among prime ministers, royals and chief executives, painted portraits typically convey the power of their position – officially commissioned for palaces, parliaments or boardrooms, with artists granted rare access to their famous sitters. Vincent’s portraits, on the other hand, painted in his studio at Iwantja Arts in Indulkana, are gleefully unofficial and defiant.
“When I paint the queen on country or the king on country, it’s like taking away their power, putting us level with the rest of the world. And also, here in Australia, Indigenous people should be more powerful than the royal people.
“To me, I see myself as a royal,” he adds, recasting his great-grandfather’s 1954 meeting and handshake with Queen Elizabeth II as an equalising moment between two very different dynasties. |
20517 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
Vincent’s portraits, on the other hand, painted in his studio at Iwantja Arts in Indulkana, are gleefully unofficial and defiant.
“When I paint the queen on country or the king on country, it’s like taking away their power, putting us level with the rest of the world. And also, here in Australia, Indigenous people should be more powerful than the royal people.
“To me, I see myself as a royal,” he adds, recasting his great-grandfather’s 1954 meeting and handshake with Queen Elizabeth II as an equalising moment between two very different dynasties.
Captain Cook with the Queen and Me (2017). |
20518 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
Vincent’s portraits, on the other hand, painted in his studio at Iwantja Arts in Indulkana, are gleefully unofficial and defiant.
“When I paint the queen on country or the king on country, it’s like taking away their power, putting us level with the rest of the world. And also, here in Australia, Indigenous people should be more powerful than the royal people.
“To me, I see myself as a royal,” he adds, recasting his great-grandfather’s 1954 meeting and handshake with Queen Elizabeth II as an equalising moment between two very different dynasties.
Captain Cook with the Queen and Me (2017). Photograph: Vincent Namatjira/Iwantja Arts, This Is No Fantasy
In June Namatjira turned 40, and will this month launch a monograph and major survey exhibition as part of Tarnanthi festival, the Art Gallery of South Australia’s annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. |
20519 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
“When I paint the queen on country or the king on country, it’s like taking away their power, putting us level with the rest of the world. And also, here in Australia, Indigenous people should be more powerful than the royal people.
“To me, I see myself as a royal,” he adds, recasting his great-grandfather’s 1954 meeting and handshake with Queen Elizabeth II as an equalising moment between two very different dynasties.
Captain Cook with the Queen and Me (2017). Photograph: Vincent Namatjira/Iwantja Arts, This Is No Fantasy
In June Namatjira turned 40, and will this month launch a monograph and major survey exhibition as part of Tarnanthi festival, the Art Gallery of South Australia’s annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art.
Collating this formative decade of his work, the exhibition’s title, Australia in Colour, alludes to “the blue skies, the red deserts, the green hills, the yellow fields, the blue oceans, the white sands, the creek beds” seen in the backdrop of Vincent’s portraits. |
20520 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
“To me, I see myself as a royal,” he adds, recasting his great-grandfather’s 1954 meeting and handshake with Queen Elizabeth II as an equalising moment between two very different dynasties.
Captain Cook with the Queen and Me (2017). Photograph: Vincent Namatjira/Iwantja Arts, This Is No Fantasy
In June Namatjira turned 40, and will this month launch a monograph and major survey exhibition as part of Tarnanthi festival, the Art Gallery of South Australia’s annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art.
Collating this formative decade of his work, the exhibition’s title, Australia in Colour, alludes to “the blue skies, the red deserts, the green hills, the yellow fields, the blue oceans, the white sands, the creek beds” seen in the backdrop of Vincent’s portraits. But it’s also a more visceral reflection on a continent thrown into stark contrast. |
20521 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
“To me, I see myself as a royal,” he adds, recasting his great-grandfather’s 1954 meeting and handshake with Queen Elizabeth II as an equalising moment between two very different dynasties.
Captain Cook with the Queen and Me (2017). Photograph: Vincent Namatjira/Iwantja Arts, This Is No Fantasy
In June Namatjira turned 40, and will this month launch a monograph and major survey exhibition as part of Tarnanthi festival, the Art Gallery of South Australia’s annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art.
Collating this formative decade of his work, the exhibition’s title, Australia in Colour, alludes to “the blue skies, the red deserts, the green hills, the yellow fields, the blue oceans, the white sands, the creek beds” seen in the backdrop of Vincent’s portraits. But it’s also a more visceral reflection on a continent thrown into stark contrast.
“Australia in Colour is gut-wrenching painting, and hard work,” he says, in an interview that took place before Saturday’s failed referendum vote. |
20522 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
Captain Cook with the Queen and Me (2017). Photograph: Vincent Namatjira/Iwantja Arts, This Is No Fantasy
In June Namatjira turned 40, and will this month launch a monograph and major survey exhibition as part of Tarnanthi festival, the Art Gallery of South Australia’s annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art.
Collating this formative decade of his work, the exhibition’s title, Australia in Colour, alludes to “the blue skies, the red deserts, the green hills, the yellow fields, the blue oceans, the white sands, the creek beds” seen in the backdrop of Vincent’s portraits. But it’s also a more visceral reflection on a continent thrown into stark contrast.
“Australia in Colour is gut-wrenching painting, and hard work,” he says, in an interview that took place before Saturday’s failed referendum vote.
“And around here, this is the hard country, we work hard to be who we are today. |
20523 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
Photograph: Vincent Namatjira/Iwantja Arts, This Is No Fantasy
In June Namatjira turned 40, and will this month launch a monograph and major survey exhibition as part of Tarnanthi festival, the Art Gallery of South Australia’s annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art.
Collating this formative decade of his work, the exhibition’s title, Australia in Colour, alludes to “the blue skies, the red deserts, the green hills, the yellow fields, the blue oceans, the white sands, the creek beds” seen in the backdrop of Vincent’s portraits. But it’s also a more visceral reflection on a continent thrown into stark contrast.
“Australia in Colour is gut-wrenching painting, and hard work,” he says, in an interview that took place before Saturday’s failed referendum vote.
“And around here, this is the hard country, we work hard to be who we are today. Indigenous people, we want to be heard and to take a stand. |
20524 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
Collating this formative decade of his work, the exhibition’s title, Australia in Colour, alludes to “the blue skies, the red deserts, the green hills, the yellow fields, the blue oceans, the white sands, the creek beds” seen in the backdrop of Vincent’s portraits. But it’s also a more visceral reflection on a continent thrown into stark contrast.
“Australia in Colour is gut-wrenching painting, and hard work,” he says, in an interview that took place before Saturday’s failed referendum vote.
“And around here, this is the hard country, we work hard to be who we are today. Indigenous people, we want to be heard and to take a stand. To show our tradition and culture, and art – also to show the rest of the world that Indigenous people, we need to be heard. |
20525 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
Collating this formative decade of his work, the exhibition’s title, Australia in Colour, alludes to “the blue skies, the red deserts, the green hills, the yellow fields, the blue oceans, the white sands, the creek beds” seen in the backdrop of Vincent’s portraits. But it’s also a more visceral reflection on a continent thrown into stark contrast.
“Australia in Colour is gut-wrenching painting, and hard work,” he says, in an interview that took place before Saturday’s failed referendum vote.
“And around here, this is the hard country, we work hard to be who we are today. Indigenous people, we want to be heard and to take a stand. To show our tradition and culture, and art – also to show the rest of the world that Indigenous people, we need to be heard.
A few decades after winning that classroom prize with his sketch of the Endeavour, Vincent’s success means that for many younger audiences, the name “Namatjira” brings to mind his name, not Albert’s. |
20526 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
But it’s also a more visceral reflection on a continent thrown into stark contrast.
“Australia in Colour is gut-wrenching painting, and hard work,” he says, in an interview that took place before Saturday’s failed referendum vote.
“And around here, this is the hard country, we work hard to be who we are today. Indigenous people, we want to be heard and to take a stand. To show our tradition and culture, and art – also to show the rest of the world that Indigenous people, we need to be heard.
A few decades after winning that classroom prize with his sketch of the Endeavour, Vincent’s success means that for many younger audiences, the name “Namatjira” brings to mind his name, not Albert’s.
“They tried to do what Albert Namatjira left them, that kind of technique with watercolour painting,” he says of his great-grandfather’s legacy. |
20527 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
But it’s also a more visceral reflection on a continent thrown into stark contrast.
“Australia in Colour is gut-wrenching painting, and hard work,” he says, in an interview that took place before Saturday’s failed referendum vote.
“And around here, this is the hard country, we work hard to be who we are today. Indigenous people, we want to be heard and to take a stand. To show our tradition and culture, and art – also to show the rest of the world that Indigenous people, we need to be heard.
A few decades after winning that classroom prize with his sketch of the Endeavour, Vincent’s success means that for many younger audiences, the name “Namatjira” brings to mind his name, not Albert’s.
“They tried to do what Albert Namatjira left them, that kind of technique with watercolour painting,” he says of his great-grandfather’s legacy. “To be honest, I’d like my family and my culture and tradition to change their ways, and go forth and broaden the name. |
20528 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
“Australia in Colour is gut-wrenching painting, and hard work,” he says, in an interview that took place before Saturday’s failed referendum vote.
“And around here, this is the hard country, we work hard to be who we are today. Indigenous people, we want to be heard and to take a stand. To show our tradition and culture, and art – also to show the rest of the world that Indigenous people, we need to be heard.
A few decades after winning that classroom prize with his sketch of the Endeavour, Vincent’s success means that for many younger audiences, the name “Namatjira” brings to mind his name, not Albert’s.
“They tried to do what Albert Namatjira left them, that kind of technique with watercolour painting,” he says of his great-grandfather’s legacy. “To be honest, I’d like my family and my culture and tradition to change their ways, and go forth and broaden the name.
“To choose. |
20529 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
“And around here, this is the hard country, we work hard to be who we are today. Indigenous people, we want to be heard and to take a stand. To show our tradition and culture, and art – also to show the rest of the world that Indigenous people, we need to be heard.
A few decades after winning that classroom prize with his sketch of the Endeavour, Vincent’s success means that for many younger audiences, the name “Namatjira” brings to mind his name, not Albert’s.
“They tried to do what Albert Namatjira left them, that kind of technique with watercolour painting,” he says of his great-grandfather’s legacy. “To be honest, I’d like my family and my culture and tradition to change their ways, and go forth and broaden the name.
“To choose. He chose his own path. |
20530 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
“And around here, this is the hard country, we work hard to be who we are today. Indigenous people, we want to be heard and to take a stand. To show our tradition and culture, and art – also to show the rest of the world that Indigenous people, we need to be heard.
A few decades after winning that classroom prize with his sketch of the Endeavour, Vincent’s success means that for many younger audiences, the name “Namatjira” brings to mind his name, not Albert’s.
“They tried to do what Albert Namatjira left them, that kind of technique with watercolour painting,” he says of his great-grandfather’s legacy. “To be honest, I’d like my family and my culture and tradition to change their ways, and go forth and broaden the name.
“To choose. He chose his own path. Well, I choose mine.”
Vincent Namatjira: Australia in Colour opens on 20 October at the Art Gallery of South Australia before touring nationally. |
20531 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
Indigenous people, we want to be heard and to take a stand. To show our tradition and culture, and art – also to show the rest of the world that Indigenous people, we need to be heard.
A few decades after winning that classroom prize with his sketch of the Endeavour, Vincent’s success means that for many younger audiences, the name “Namatjira” brings to mind his name, not Albert’s.
“They tried to do what Albert Namatjira left them, that kind of technique with watercolour painting,” he says of his great-grandfather’s legacy. “To be honest, I’d like my family and my culture and tradition to change their ways, and go forth and broaden the name.
“To choose. He chose his own path. Well, I choose mine.”
Vincent Namatjira: Australia in Colour opens on 20 October at the Art Gallery of South Australia before touring nationally. Desert Songs is showing until 28 October at Yavuz Gallery in Surry Hills, Sydney. |
20532 | ‘I see myself as a royal’: artist Vincent Namatjira on colonialism, satire and his great-grandfather’s legacy
To show our tradition and culture, and art – also to show the rest of the world that Indigenous people, we need to be heard.
A few decades after winning that classroom prize with his sketch of the Endeavour, Vincent’s success means that for many younger audiences, the name “Namatjira” brings to mind his name, not Albert’s.
“They tried to do what Albert Namatjira left them, that kind of technique with watercolour painting,” he says of his great-grandfather’s legacy. “To be honest, I’d like my family and my culture and tradition to change their ways, and go forth and broaden the name.
“To choose. He chose his own path. Well, I choose mine.”
Vincent Namatjira: Australia in Colour opens on 20 October at the Art Gallery of South Australia before touring nationally. Desert Songs is showing until 28 October at Yavuz Gallery in Surry Hills, Sydney. Vincent Namatjira (Thames & Hudson) is out now. |
20533 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
This is another in our series of stories identifying new technologies and actions that can slow climate change, reduce its impacts or help communities cope with a rapidly changing world.
We all need clean water to survive. Yet across the planet, more than one in every four people live in places without enough. And climate change is making this worse. Now scientists have created a new salty gel. It sucks record-breaking amounts of moisture out of the air to make fresh drinking water — even in dry climates.
Carlos Díaz-Marín is a mechanical engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge. His team is developing a device to address water shortages. They want it to affordably pull water from air without a need for electricity. The key ingredient: a new, super-salty gel.
A hydrogel is a mesh of large molecules called polymers. The new hydrogel captures humidity — water vapor — from the air. As it does so, it expands like a sponge in water. |
20534 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
We all need clean water to survive. Yet across the planet, more than one in every four people live in places without enough. And climate change is making this worse. Now scientists have created a new salty gel. It sucks record-breaking amounts of moisture out of the air to make fresh drinking water — even in dry climates.
Carlos Díaz-Marín is a mechanical engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge. His team is developing a device to address water shortages. They want it to affordably pull water from air without a need for electricity. The key ingredient: a new, super-salty gel.
A hydrogel is a mesh of large molecules called polymers. The new hydrogel captures humidity — water vapor — from the air. As it does so, it expands like a sponge in water. Later, when heated by the sun, this material will release the water it has absorbed.
The idea is not new. |
20535 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Yet across the planet, more than one in every four people live in places without enough. And climate change is making this worse. Now scientists have created a new salty gel. It sucks record-breaking amounts of moisture out of the air to make fresh drinking water — even in dry climates.
Carlos Díaz-Marín is a mechanical engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge. His team is developing a device to address water shortages. They want it to affordably pull water from air without a need for electricity. The key ingredient: a new, super-salty gel.
A hydrogel is a mesh of large molecules called polymers. The new hydrogel captures humidity — water vapor — from the air. As it does so, it expands like a sponge in water. Later, when heated by the sun, this material will release the water it has absorbed.
The idea is not new. Many types of hydrogels have been developed to suck water from air. |
20536 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
And climate change is making this worse. Now scientists have created a new salty gel. It sucks record-breaking amounts of moisture out of the air to make fresh drinking water — even in dry climates.
Carlos Díaz-Marín is a mechanical engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge. His team is developing a device to address water shortages. They want it to affordably pull water from air without a need for electricity. The key ingredient: a new, super-salty gel.
A hydrogel is a mesh of large molecules called polymers. The new hydrogel captures humidity — water vapor — from the air. As it does so, it expands like a sponge in water. Later, when heated by the sun, this material will release the water it has absorbed.
The idea is not new. Many types of hydrogels have been developed to suck water from air. Previous work showed that adding salts to hydrogels upped how much water they could absorb. |
20537 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Now scientists have created a new salty gel. It sucks record-breaking amounts of moisture out of the air to make fresh drinking water — even in dry climates.
Carlos Díaz-Marín is a mechanical engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge. His team is developing a device to address water shortages. They want it to affordably pull water from air without a need for electricity. The key ingredient: a new, super-salty gel.
A hydrogel is a mesh of large molecules called polymers. The new hydrogel captures humidity — water vapor — from the air. As it does so, it expands like a sponge in water. Later, when heated by the sun, this material will release the water it has absorbed.
The idea is not new. Many types of hydrogels have been developed to suck water from air. Previous work showed that adding salts to hydrogels upped how much water they could absorb. Because of their chemical properties, salts attract moisture, including from the air. |
20538 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Carlos Díaz-Marín is a mechanical engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge. His team is developing a device to address water shortages. They want it to affordably pull water from air without a need for electricity. The key ingredient: a new, super-salty gel.
A hydrogel is a mesh of large molecules called polymers. The new hydrogel captures humidity — water vapor — from the air. As it does so, it expands like a sponge in water. Later, when heated by the sun, this material will release the water it has absorbed.
The idea is not new. Many types of hydrogels have been developed to suck water from air. Previous work showed that adding salts to hydrogels upped how much water they could absorb. Because of their chemical properties, salts attract moisture, including from the air. But no one knew how much salt a hydrogel could stash — nor how pushing that salt content to the max might boost the hydrogel’s water-slurping power. |
20539 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
His team is developing a device to address water shortages. They want it to affordably pull water from air without a need for electricity. The key ingredient: a new, super-salty gel.
A hydrogel is a mesh of large molecules called polymers. The new hydrogel captures humidity — water vapor — from the air. As it does so, it expands like a sponge in water. Later, when heated by the sun, this material will release the water it has absorbed.
The idea is not new. Many types of hydrogels have been developed to suck water from air. Previous work showed that adding salts to hydrogels upped how much water they could absorb. Because of their chemical properties, salts attract moisture, including from the air. But no one knew how much salt a hydrogel could stash — nor how pushing that salt content to the max might boost the hydrogel’s water-slurping power. Díaz-Marín and his team decided to find out. |
20540 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
They want it to affordably pull water from air without a need for electricity. The key ingredient: a new, super-salty gel.
A hydrogel is a mesh of large molecules called polymers. The new hydrogel captures humidity — water vapor — from the air. As it does so, it expands like a sponge in water. Later, when heated by the sun, this material will release the water it has absorbed.
The idea is not new. Many types of hydrogels have been developed to suck water from air. Previous work showed that adding salts to hydrogels upped how much water they could absorb. Because of their chemical properties, salts attract moisture, including from the air. But no one knew how much salt a hydrogel could stash — nor how pushing that salt content to the max might boost the hydrogel’s water-slurping power. Díaz-Marín and his team decided to find out.
Getting salty
The researchers made tubes of hydrogel from a material called polyacrylamide (PAH-lee-uh-CRIH-lah-myde). |
20541 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
The new hydrogel captures humidity — water vapor — from the air. As it does so, it expands like a sponge in water. Later, when heated by the sun, this material will release the water it has absorbed.
The idea is not new. Many types of hydrogels have been developed to suck water from air. Previous work showed that adding salts to hydrogels upped how much water they could absorb. Because of their chemical properties, salts attract moisture, including from the air. But no one knew how much salt a hydrogel could stash — nor how pushing that salt content to the max might boost the hydrogel’s water-slurping power. Díaz-Marín and his team decided to find out.
Getting salty
The researchers made tubes of hydrogel from a material called polyacrylamide (PAH-lee-uh-CRIH-lah-myde). That’s a polymer made of long, threadlike molecules. |
20542 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
As it does so, it expands like a sponge in water. Later, when heated by the sun, this material will release the water it has absorbed.
The idea is not new. Many types of hydrogels have been developed to suck water from air. Previous work showed that adding salts to hydrogels upped how much water they could absorb. Because of their chemical properties, salts attract moisture, including from the air. But no one knew how much salt a hydrogel could stash — nor how pushing that salt content to the max might boost the hydrogel’s water-slurping power. Díaz-Marín and his team decided to find out.
Getting salty
The researchers made tubes of hydrogel from a material called polyacrylamide (PAH-lee-uh-CRIH-lah-myde). That’s a polymer made of long, threadlike molecules. They cut the tubes into thin disks and then soaked them in water containing different amounts of lithium chloride, a salt. |
20543 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Later, when heated by the sun, this material will release the water it has absorbed.
The idea is not new. Many types of hydrogels have been developed to suck water from air. Previous work showed that adding salts to hydrogels upped how much water they could absorb. Because of their chemical properties, salts attract moisture, including from the air. But no one knew how much salt a hydrogel could stash — nor how pushing that salt content to the max might boost the hydrogel’s water-slurping power. Díaz-Marín and his team decided to find out.
Getting salty
The researchers made tubes of hydrogel from a material called polyacrylamide (PAH-lee-uh-CRIH-lah-myde). That’s a polymer made of long, threadlike molecules. They cut the tubes into thin disks and then soaked them in water containing different amounts of lithium chloride, a salt. Each day, the researchers weighed the disks to see how much of the salty water they had absorbed. |
20544 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
The idea is not new. Many types of hydrogels have been developed to suck water from air. Previous work showed that adding salts to hydrogels upped how much water they could absorb. Because of their chemical properties, salts attract moisture, including from the air. But no one knew how much salt a hydrogel could stash — nor how pushing that salt content to the max might boost the hydrogel’s water-slurping power. Díaz-Marín and his team decided to find out.
Getting salty
The researchers made tubes of hydrogel from a material called polyacrylamide (PAH-lee-uh-CRIH-lah-myde). That’s a polymer made of long, threadlike molecules. They cut the tubes into thin disks and then soaked them in water containing different amounts of lithium chloride, a salt. Each day, the researchers weighed the disks to see how much of the salty water they had absorbed.
Such tests had been done before, but for relatively short times, Díaz-Marín says. |
20545 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Previous work showed that adding salts to hydrogels upped how much water they could absorb. Because of their chemical properties, salts attract moisture, including from the air. But no one knew how much salt a hydrogel could stash — nor how pushing that salt content to the max might boost the hydrogel’s water-slurping power. Díaz-Marín and his team decided to find out.
Getting salty
The researchers made tubes of hydrogel from a material called polyacrylamide (PAH-lee-uh-CRIH-lah-myde). That’s a polymer made of long, threadlike molecules. They cut the tubes into thin disks and then soaked them in water containing different amounts of lithium chloride, a salt. Each day, the researchers weighed the disks to see how much of the salty water they had absorbed.
Such tests had been done before, but for relatively short times, Díaz-Marín says. “Instead of soaking for two days, we did this for up to two months.” The extra time made a big difference. |
20546 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
But no one knew how much salt a hydrogel could stash — nor how pushing that salt content to the max might boost the hydrogel’s water-slurping power. Díaz-Marín and his team decided to find out.
Getting salty
The researchers made tubes of hydrogel from a material called polyacrylamide (PAH-lee-uh-CRIH-lah-myde). That’s a polymer made of long, threadlike molecules. They cut the tubes into thin disks and then soaked them in water containing different amounts of lithium chloride, a salt. Each day, the researchers weighed the disks to see how much of the salty water they had absorbed.
Such tests had been done before, but for relatively short times, Díaz-Marín says. “Instead of soaking for two days, we did this for up to two months.” The extra time made a big difference.
The gels soaked up more and more saltwater over time. |
20547 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
But no one knew how much salt a hydrogel could stash — nor how pushing that salt content to the max might boost the hydrogel’s water-slurping power. Díaz-Marín and his team decided to find out.
Getting salty
The researchers made tubes of hydrogel from a material called polyacrylamide (PAH-lee-uh-CRIH-lah-myde). That’s a polymer made of long, threadlike molecules. They cut the tubes into thin disks and then soaked them in water containing different amounts of lithium chloride, a salt. Each day, the researchers weighed the disks to see how much of the salty water they had absorbed.
Such tests had been done before, but for relatively short times, Díaz-Marín says. “Instead of soaking for two days, we did this for up to two months.” The extra time made a big difference.
The gels soaked up more and more saltwater over time. The top absorber got about three times saltier than previous hydrogels. |
20548 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Díaz-Marín and his team decided to find out.
Getting salty
The researchers made tubes of hydrogel from a material called polyacrylamide (PAH-lee-uh-CRIH-lah-myde). That’s a polymer made of long, threadlike molecules. They cut the tubes into thin disks and then soaked them in water containing different amounts of lithium chloride, a salt. Each day, the researchers weighed the disks to see how much of the salty water they had absorbed.
Such tests had been done before, but for relatively short times, Díaz-Marín says. “Instead of soaking for two days, we did this for up to two months.” The extra time made a big difference.
The gels soaked up more and more saltwater over time. The top absorber got about three times saltier than previous hydrogels. It cached 20 grams (0.7 ounce) of salt per gram of gel. It absorbed more moisture than previous gels, too. |
20549 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Getting salty
The researchers made tubes of hydrogel from a material called polyacrylamide (PAH-lee-uh-CRIH-lah-myde). That’s a polymer made of long, threadlike molecules. They cut the tubes into thin disks and then soaked them in water containing different amounts of lithium chloride, a salt. Each day, the researchers weighed the disks to see how much of the salty water they had absorbed.
Such tests had been done before, but for relatively short times, Díaz-Marín says. “Instead of soaking for two days, we did this for up to two months.” The extra time made a big difference.
The gels soaked up more and more saltwater over time. The top absorber got about three times saltier than previous hydrogels. It cached 20 grams (0.7 ounce) of salt per gram of gel. It absorbed more moisture than previous gels, too.
Disks of this hydrogel swell as they absorb salty water loaded with lithium chloride. |
20550 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
That’s a polymer made of long, threadlike molecules. They cut the tubes into thin disks and then soaked them in water containing different amounts of lithium chloride, a salt. Each day, the researchers weighed the disks to see how much of the salty water they had absorbed.
Such tests had been done before, but for relatively short times, Díaz-Marín says. “Instead of soaking for two days, we did this for up to two months.” The extra time made a big difference.
The gels soaked up more and more saltwater over time. The top absorber got about three times saltier than previous hydrogels. It cached 20 grams (0.7 ounce) of salt per gram of gel. It absorbed more moisture than previous gels, too.
Disks of this hydrogel swell as they absorb salty water loaded with lithium chloride. Graeber et al/Advanced Materials 2023 ( CC BY 4.0
To test this, the researchers dried their gels and placed them in environments with different levels of humidity. |
20551 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Each day, the researchers weighed the disks to see how much of the salty water they had absorbed.
Such tests had been done before, but for relatively short times, Díaz-Marín says. “Instead of soaking for two days, we did this for up to two months.” The extra time made a big difference.
The gels soaked up more and more saltwater over time. The top absorber got about three times saltier than previous hydrogels. It cached 20 grams (0.7 ounce) of salt per gram of gel. It absorbed more moisture than previous gels, too.
Disks of this hydrogel swell as they absorb salty water loaded with lithium chloride. Graeber et al/Advanced Materials 2023 ( CC BY 4.0
To test this, the researchers dried their gels and placed them in environments with different levels of humidity. Even in relatively dry air, such as that found in deserts, the best-performing hydrogel absorbed 15 percent more water than previous hydrogels. |
20552 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Such tests had been done before, but for relatively short times, Díaz-Marín says. “Instead of soaking for two days, we did this for up to two months.” The extra time made a big difference.
The gels soaked up more and more saltwater over time. The top absorber got about three times saltier than previous hydrogels. It cached 20 grams (0.7 ounce) of salt per gram of gel. It absorbed more moisture than previous gels, too.
Disks of this hydrogel swell as they absorb salty water loaded with lithium chloride. Graeber et al/Advanced Materials 2023 ( CC BY 4.0
To test this, the researchers dried their gels and placed them in environments with different levels of humidity. Even in relatively dry air, such as that found in deserts, the best-performing hydrogel absorbed 15 percent more water than previous hydrogels.
The team reported its findings May 18 in Advanced Materials. |
20553 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
“Instead of soaking for two days, we did this for up to two months.” The extra time made a big difference.
The gels soaked up more and more saltwater over time. The top absorber got about three times saltier than previous hydrogels. It cached 20 grams (0.7 ounce) of salt per gram of gel. It absorbed more moisture than previous gels, too.
Disks of this hydrogel swell as they absorb salty water loaded with lithium chloride. Graeber et al/Advanced Materials 2023 ( CC BY 4.0
To test this, the researchers dried their gels and placed them in environments with different levels of humidity. Even in relatively dry air, such as that found in deserts, the best-performing hydrogel absorbed 15 percent more water than previous hydrogels.
The team reported its findings May 18 in Advanced Materials.
“We did this in a very simple and low-cost way, which makes it even more exciting,” says Díaz-Marín. |
20554 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
The gels soaked up more and more saltwater over time. The top absorber got about three times saltier than previous hydrogels. It cached 20 grams (0.7 ounce) of salt per gram of gel. It absorbed more moisture than previous gels, too.
Disks of this hydrogel swell as they absorb salty water loaded with lithium chloride. Graeber et al/Advanced Materials 2023 ( CC BY 4.0
To test this, the researchers dried their gels and placed them in environments with different levels of humidity. Even in relatively dry air, such as that found in deserts, the best-performing hydrogel absorbed 15 percent more water than previous hydrogels.
The team reported its findings May 18 in Advanced Materials.
“We did this in a very simple and low-cost way, which makes it even more exciting,” says Díaz-Marín. His team still needs to test how to get all that water out of the gels afterward. |
20555 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
The top absorber got about three times saltier than previous hydrogels. It cached 20 grams (0.7 ounce) of salt per gram of gel. It absorbed more moisture than previous gels, too.
Disks of this hydrogel swell as they absorb salty water loaded with lithium chloride. Graeber et al/Advanced Materials 2023 ( CC BY 4.0
To test this, the researchers dried their gels and placed them in environments with different levels of humidity. Even in relatively dry air, such as that found in deserts, the best-performing hydrogel absorbed 15 percent more water than previous hydrogels.
The team reported its findings May 18 in Advanced Materials.
“We did this in a very simple and low-cost way, which makes it even more exciting,” says Díaz-Marín. His team still needs to test how to get all that water out of the gels afterward.
“I am impressed by their results,” says Swee Ching Tan. |
20556 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
It cached 20 grams (0.7 ounce) of salt per gram of gel. It absorbed more moisture than previous gels, too.
Disks of this hydrogel swell as they absorb salty water loaded with lithium chloride. Graeber et al/Advanced Materials 2023 ( CC BY 4.0
To test this, the researchers dried their gels and placed them in environments with different levels of humidity. Even in relatively dry air, such as that found in deserts, the best-performing hydrogel absorbed 15 percent more water than previous hydrogels.
The team reported its findings May 18 in Advanced Materials.
“We did this in a very simple and low-cost way, which makes it even more exciting,” says Díaz-Marín. His team still needs to test how to get all that water out of the gels afterward.
“I am impressed by their results,” says Swee Ching Tan. “This could be a new world record.” He’s a materials scientist at the National University of Singapore. |
20557 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
It absorbed more moisture than previous gels, too.
Disks of this hydrogel swell as they absorb salty water loaded with lithium chloride. Graeber et al/Advanced Materials 2023 ( CC BY 4.0
To test this, the researchers dried their gels and placed them in environments with different levels of humidity. Even in relatively dry air, such as that found in deserts, the best-performing hydrogel absorbed 15 percent more water than previous hydrogels.
The team reported its findings May 18 in Advanced Materials.
“We did this in a very simple and low-cost way, which makes it even more exciting,” says Díaz-Marín. His team still needs to test how to get all that water out of the gels afterward.
“I am impressed by their results,” says Swee Ching Tan. “This could be a new world record.” He’s a materials scientist at the National University of Singapore. Tan works with hydrogels but did not take part in this study. |
20558 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Graeber et al/Advanced Materials 2023 ( CC BY 4.0
To test this, the researchers dried their gels and placed them in environments with different levels of humidity. Even in relatively dry air, such as that found in deserts, the best-performing hydrogel absorbed 15 percent more water than previous hydrogels.
The team reported its findings May 18 in Advanced Materials.
“We did this in a very simple and low-cost way, which makes it even more exciting,” says Díaz-Marín. His team still needs to test how to get all that water out of the gels afterward.
“I am impressed by their results,” says Swee Ching Tan. “This could be a new world record.” He’s a materials scientist at the National University of Singapore. Tan works with hydrogels but did not take part in this study.
The new work, he says, could help with the water crisis by producing safe drinking water in places that lack it. |
20559 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Even in relatively dry air, such as that found in deserts, the best-performing hydrogel absorbed 15 percent more water than previous hydrogels.
The team reported its findings May 18 in Advanced Materials.
“We did this in a very simple and low-cost way, which makes it even more exciting,” says Díaz-Marín. His team still needs to test how to get all that water out of the gels afterward.
“I am impressed by their results,” says Swee Ching Tan. “This could be a new world record.” He’s a materials scientist at the National University of Singapore. Tan works with hydrogels but did not take part in this study.
The new work, he says, could help with the water crisis by producing safe drinking water in places that lack it.
Educators and Parents, Sign Up for The Cheat Sheet Weekly updates to help you use Science News Explores in the learning environment Client key* E-mail Address* Go Thank you for signing up! There was a problem signing you up. |
20560 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
The team reported its findings May 18 in Advanced Materials.
“We did this in a very simple and low-cost way, which makes it even more exciting,” says Díaz-Marín. His team still needs to test how to get all that water out of the gels afterward.
“I am impressed by their results,” says Swee Ching Tan. “This could be a new world record.” He’s a materials scientist at the National University of Singapore. Tan works with hydrogels but did not take part in this study.
The new work, he says, could help with the water crisis by producing safe drinking water in places that lack it.
Educators and Parents, Sign Up for The Cheat Sheet Weekly updates to help you use Science News Explores in the learning environment Client key* E-mail Address* Go Thank you for signing up! There was a problem signing you up.
More food, less water
Earth’s freshwater supply is falling due to climate change. |
20561 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
The team reported its findings May 18 in Advanced Materials.
“We did this in a very simple and low-cost way, which makes it even more exciting,” says Díaz-Marín. His team still needs to test how to get all that water out of the gels afterward.
“I am impressed by their results,” says Swee Ching Tan. “This could be a new world record.” He’s a materials scientist at the National University of Singapore. Tan works with hydrogels but did not take part in this study.
The new work, he says, could help with the water crisis by producing safe drinking water in places that lack it.
Educators and Parents, Sign Up for The Cheat Sheet Weekly updates to help you use Science News Explores in the learning environment Client key* E-mail Address* Go Thank you for signing up! There was a problem signing you up.
More food, less water
Earth’s freshwater supply is falling due to climate change. By 2050, more than five billion people are expected to lack water at least one month per year. |
20562 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
His team still needs to test how to get all that water out of the gels afterward.
“I am impressed by their results,” says Swee Ching Tan. “This could be a new world record.” He’s a materials scientist at the National University of Singapore. Tan works with hydrogels but did not take part in this study.
The new work, he says, could help with the water crisis by producing safe drinking water in places that lack it.
Educators and Parents, Sign Up for The Cheat Sheet Weekly updates to help you use Science News Explores in the learning environment Client key* E-mail Address* Go Thank you for signing up! There was a problem signing you up.
More food, less water
Earth’s freshwater supply is falling due to climate change. By 2050, more than five billion people are expected to lack water at least one month per year. Some shortages are due to warmer temperatures and less snow to feed into rivers. That puts stress on supplies of water for drinking and growing crops. |
20563 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
“I am impressed by their results,” says Swee Ching Tan. “This could be a new world record.” He’s a materials scientist at the National University of Singapore. Tan works with hydrogels but did not take part in this study.
The new work, he says, could help with the water crisis by producing safe drinking water in places that lack it.
Educators and Parents, Sign Up for The Cheat Sheet Weekly updates to help you use Science News Explores in the learning environment Client key* E-mail Address* Go Thank you for signing up! There was a problem signing you up.
More food, less water
Earth’s freshwater supply is falling due to climate change. By 2050, more than five billion people are expected to lack water at least one month per year. Some shortages are due to warmer temperatures and less snow to feed into rivers. That puts stress on supplies of water for drinking and growing crops.
Whatever the cause, better water-slurping gels could make it easier to grow food in such water-stressed places — including those plagued by drought. |
20564 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Tan works with hydrogels but did not take part in this study.
The new work, he says, could help with the water crisis by producing safe drinking water in places that lack it.
Educators and Parents, Sign Up for The Cheat Sheet Weekly updates to help you use Science News Explores in the learning environment Client key* E-mail Address* Go Thank you for signing up! There was a problem signing you up.
More food, less water
Earth’s freshwater supply is falling due to climate change. By 2050, more than five billion people are expected to lack water at least one month per year. Some shortages are due to warmer temperatures and less snow to feed into rivers. That puts stress on supplies of water for drinking and growing crops.
Whatever the cause, better water-slurping gels could make it easier to grow food in such water-stressed places — including those plagued by drought.
Tan’s team has developed a gel-based device called the SmartFarm. |
20565 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
The new work, he says, could help with the water crisis by producing safe drinking water in places that lack it.
Educators and Parents, Sign Up for The Cheat Sheet Weekly updates to help you use Science News Explores in the learning environment Client key* E-mail Address* Go Thank you for signing up! There was a problem signing you up.
More food, less water
Earth’s freshwater supply is falling due to climate change. By 2050, more than five billion people are expected to lack water at least one month per year. Some shortages are due to warmer temperatures and less snow to feed into rivers. That puts stress on supplies of water for drinking and growing crops.
Whatever the cause, better water-slurping gels could make it easier to grow food in such water-stressed places — including those plagued by drought.
Tan’s team has developed a gel-based device called the SmartFarm. This tiny greenhouse with a moving roof grows crops without having to add water. In the evening, the top opens. |
20566 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
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More food, less water
Earth’s freshwater supply is falling due to climate change. By 2050, more than five billion people are expected to lack water at least one month per year. Some shortages are due to warmer temperatures and less snow to feed into rivers. That puts stress on supplies of water for drinking and growing crops.
Whatever the cause, better water-slurping gels could make it easier to grow food in such water-stressed places — including those plagued by drought.
Tan’s team has developed a gel-based device called the SmartFarm. This tiny greenhouse with a moving roof grows crops without having to add water. In the evening, the top opens. Gels inside capture water from the night air. A solar-powered motor closes the roof during the day. |
20567 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
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More food, less water
Earth’s freshwater supply is falling due to climate change. By 2050, more than five billion people are expected to lack water at least one month per year. Some shortages are due to warmer temperatures and less snow to feed into rivers. That puts stress on supplies of water for drinking and growing crops.
Whatever the cause, better water-slurping gels could make it easier to grow food in such water-stressed places — including those plagued by drought.
Tan’s team has developed a gel-based device called the SmartFarm. This tiny greenhouse with a moving roof grows crops without having to add water. In the evening, the top opens. Gels inside capture water from the night air. A solar-powered motor closes the roof during the day. When warmed by the sun, the gel releases its water. Tan’s team used the SmartFarm to grow a leafy green vegetable called Ipomoea aquatica. |
20568 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
More food, less water
Earth’s freshwater supply is falling due to climate change. By 2050, more than five billion people are expected to lack water at least one month per year. Some shortages are due to warmer temperatures and less snow to feed into rivers. That puts stress on supplies of water for drinking and growing crops.
Whatever the cause, better water-slurping gels could make it easier to grow food in such water-stressed places — including those plagued by drought.
Tan’s team has developed a gel-based device called the SmartFarm. This tiny greenhouse with a moving roof grows crops without having to add water. In the evening, the top opens. Gels inside capture water from the night air. A solar-powered motor closes the roof during the day. When warmed by the sun, the gel releases its water. Tan’s team used the SmartFarm to grow a leafy green vegetable called Ipomoea aquatica.
Some farmers have used hydrogels to water crops in another way. |
20569 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
By 2050, more than five billion people are expected to lack water at least one month per year. Some shortages are due to warmer temperatures and less snow to feed into rivers. That puts stress on supplies of water for drinking and growing crops.
Whatever the cause, better water-slurping gels could make it easier to grow food in such water-stressed places — including those plagued by drought.
Tan’s team has developed a gel-based device called the SmartFarm. This tiny greenhouse with a moving roof grows crops without having to add water. In the evening, the top opens. Gels inside capture water from the night air. A solar-powered motor closes the roof during the day. When warmed by the sun, the gel releases its water. Tan’s team used the SmartFarm to grow a leafy green vegetable called Ipomoea aquatica.
Some farmers have used hydrogels to water crops in another way. They mix the hydrogels right into the soil with seeds. |
20570 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Some shortages are due to warmer temperatures and less snow to feed into rivers. That puts stress on supplies of water for drinking and growing crops.
Whatever the cause, better water-slurping gels could make it easier to grow food in such water-stressed places — including those plagued by drought.
Tan’s team has developed a gel-based device called the SmartFarm. This tiny greenhouse with a moving roof grows crops without having to add water. In the evening, the top opens. Gels inside capture water from the night air. A solar-powered motor closes the roof during the day. When warmed by the sun, the gel releases its water. Tan’s team used the SmartFarm to grow a leafy green vegetable called Ipomoea aquatica.
Some farmers have used hydrogels to water crops in another way. They mix the hydrogels right into the soil with seeds. There, the gel soaks up irrigation water and holds it close to the sprouting plant. |
20571 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
That puts stress on supplies of water for drinking and growing crops.
Whatever the cause, better water-slurping gels could make it easier to grow food in such water-stressed places — including those plagued by drought.
Tan’s team has developed a gel-based device called the SmartFarm. This tiny greenhouse with a moving roof grows crops without having to add water. In the evening, the top opens. Gels inside capture water from the night air. A solar-powered motor closes the roof during the day. When warmed by the sun, the gel releases its water. Tan’s team used the SmartFarm to grow a leafy green vegetable called Ipomoea aquatica.
Some farmers have used hydrogels to water crops in another way. They mix the hydrogels right into the soil with seeds. There, the gel soaks up irrigation water and holds it close to the sprouting plant. Without the gel, water might soak too deeply for the roots to reach. |
20572 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Whatever the cause, better water-slurping gels could make it easier to grow food in such water-stressed places — including those plagued by drought.
Tan’s team has developed a gel-based device called the SmartFarm. This tiny greenhouse with a moving roof grows crops without having to add water. In the evening, the top opens. Gels inside capture water from the night air. A solar-powered motor closes the roof during the day. When warmed by the sun, the gel releases its water. Tan’s team used the SmartFarm to grow a leafy green vegetable called Ipomoea aquatica.
Some farmers have used hydrogels to water crops in another way. They mix the hydrogels right into the soil with seeds. There, the gel soaks up irrigation water and holds it close to the sprouting plant. Without the gel, water might soak too deeply for the roots to reach. In one study, adding hydrogels to soil reduced by 30 percent how much water was needed to grow food. |
20573 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Tan’s team has developed a gel-based device called the SmartFarm. This tiny greenhouse with a moving roof grows crops without having to add water. In the evening, the top opens. Gels inside capture water from the night air. A solar-powered motor closes the roof during the day. When warmed by the sun, the gel releases its water. Tan’s team used the SmartFarm to grow a leafy green vegetable called Ipomoea aquatica.
Some farmers have used hydrogels to water crops in another way. They mix the hydrogels right into the soil with seeds. There, the gel soaks up irrigation water and holds it close to the sprouting plant. Without the gel, water might soak too deeply for the roots to reach. In one study, adding hydrogels to soil reduced by 30 percent how much water was needed to grow food.
A device called SmartFarm collects water from the air. It allows plants to grow without watering them. |
20574 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
This tiny greenhouse with a moving roof grows crops without having to add water. In the evening, the top opens. Gels inside capture water from the night air. A solar-powered motor closes the roof during the day. When warmed by the sun, the gel releases its water. Tan’s team used the SmartFarm to grow a leafy green vegetable called Ipomoea aquatica.
Some farmers have used hydrogels to water crops in another way. They mix the hydrogels right into the soil with seeds. There, the gel soaks up irrigation water and holds it close to the sprouting plant. Without the gel, water might soak too deeply for the roots to reach. In one study, adding hydrogels to soil reduced by 30 percent how much water was needed to grow food.
A device called SmartFarm collects water from the air. It allows plants to grow without watering them. It could be used to grow crops in dry places. |
20575 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
In the evening, the top opens. Gels inside capture water from the night air. A solar-powered motor closes the roof during the day. When warmed by the sun, the gel releases its water. Tan’s team used the SmartFarm to grow a leafy green vegetable called Ipomoea aquatica.
Some farmers have used hydrogels to water crops in another way. They mix the hydrogels right into the soil with seeds. There, the gel soaks up irrigation water and holds it close to the sprouting plant. Without the gel, water might soak too deeply for the roots to reach. In one study, adding hydrogels to soil reduced by 30 percent how much water was needed to grow food.
A device called SmartFarm collects water from the air. It allows plants to grow without watering them. It could be used to grow crops in dry places.
The MIT team is also designing a hydrogel-based device. |
20576 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Gels inside capture water from the night air. A solar-powered motor closes the roof during the day. When warmed by the sun, the gel releases its water. Tan’s team used the SmartFarm to grow a leafy green vegetable called Ipomoea aquatica.
Some farmers have used hydrogels to water crops in another way. They mix the hydrogels right into the soil with seeds. There, the gel soaks up irrigation water and holds it close to the sprouting plant. Without the gel, water might soak too deeply for the roots to reach. In one study, adding hydrogels to soil reduced by 30 percent how much water was needed to grow food.
A device called SmartFarm collects water from the air. It allows plants to grow without watering them. It could be used to grow crops in dry places.
The MIT team is also designing a hydrogel-based device. Rather than grow food like the SmartFarm, it will produce drinking water. |
20577 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
A solar-powered motor closes the roof during the day. When warmed by the sun, the gel releases its water. Tan’s team used the SmartFarm to grow a leafy green vegetable called Ipomoea aquatica.
Some farmers have used hydrogels to water crops in another way. They mix the hydrogels right into the soil with seeds. There, the gel soaks up irrigation water and holds it close to the sprouting plant. Without the gel, water might soak too deeply for the roots to reach. In one study, adding hydrogels to soil reduced by 30 percent how much water was needed to grow food.
A device called SmartFarm collects water from the air. It allows plants to grow without watering them. It could be used to grow crops in dry places.
The MIT team is also designing a hydrogel-based device. Rather than grow food like the SmartFarm, it will produce drinking water. Díaz-Marín explains how it would work: At night, an open box containing their gel captures water vapor from the air. |
20578 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Some farmers have used hydrogels to water crops in another way. They mix the hydrogels right into the soil with seeds. There, the gel soaks up irrigation water and holds it close to the sprouting plant. Without the gel, water might soak too deeply for the roots to reach. In one study, adding hydrogels to soil reduced by 30 percent how much water was needed to grow food.
A device called SmartFarm collects water from the air. It allows plants to grow without watering them. It could be used to grow crops in dry places.
The MIT team is also designing a hydrogel-based device. Rather than grow food like the SmartFarm, it will produce drinking water. Díaz-Marín explains how it would work: At night, an open box containing their gel captures water vapor from the air. The next day, the sun heats up the hydrogel in the box, releasing the moisture. The box also contains a material that can be cooled without using electricity. |
20579 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
They mix the hydrogels right into the soil with seeds. There, the gel soaks up irrigation water and holds it close to the sprouting plant. Without the gel, water might soak too deeply for the roots to reach. In one study, adding hydrogels to soil reduced by 30 percent how much water was needed to grow food.
A device called SmartFarm collects water from the air. It allows plants to grow without watering them. It could be used to grow crops in dry places.
The MIT team is also designing a hydrogel-based device. Rather than grow food like the SmartFarm, it will produce drinking water. Díaz-Marín explains how it would work: At night, an open box containing their gel captures water vapor from the air. The next day, the sun heats up the hydrogel in the box, releasing the moisture. The box also contains a material that can be cooled without using electricity. When the water vapor touches that cold surface, it condenses into droplets — like the morning dew on grass. |
20580 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Without the gel, water might soak too deeply for the roots to reach. In one study, adding hydrogels to soil reduced by 30 percent how much water was needed to grow food.
A device called SmartFarm collects water from the air. It allows plants to grow without watering them. It could be used to grow crops in dry places.
The MIT team is also designing a hydrogel-based device. Rather than grow food like the SmartFarm, it will produce drinking water. Díaz-Marín explains how it would work: At night, an open box containing their gel captures water vapor from the air. The next day, the sun heats up the hydrogel in the box, releasing the moisture. The box also contains a material that can be cooled without using electricity. When the water vapor touches that cold surface, it condenses into droplets — like the morning dew on grass. Once condensed, the clean water falls into a storage chamber. |
20581 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
In one study, adding hydrogels to soil reduced by 30 percent how much water was needed to grow food.
A device called SmartFarm collects water from the air. It allows plants to grow without watering them. It could be used to grow crops in dry places.
The MIT team is also designing a hydrogel-based device. Rather than grow food like the SmartFarm, it will produce drinking water. Díaz-Marín explains how it would work: At night, an open box containing their gel captures water vapor from the air. The next day, the sun heats up the hydrogel in the box, releasing the moisture. The box also contains a material that can be cooled without using electricity. When the water vapor touches that cold surface, it condenses into droplets — like the morning dew on grass. Once condensed, the clean water falls into a storage chamber.
The team is working to engineer a device that can extract 2 to 5 liters (0.5 to 1.3 gallons) a day. |
20582 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
A device called SmartFarm collects water from the air. It allows plants to grow without watering them. It could be used to grow crops in dry places.
The MIT team is also designing a hydrogel-based device. Rather than grow food like the SmartFarm, it will produce drinking water. Díaz-Marín explains how it would work: At night, an open box containing their gel captures water vapor from the air. The next day, the sun heats up the hydrogel in the box, releasing the moisture. The box also contains a material that can be cooled without using electricity. When the water vapor touches that cold surface, it condenses into droplets — like the morning dew on grass. Once condensed, the clean water falls into a storage chamber.
The team is working to engineer a device that can extract 2 to 5 liters (0.5 to 1.3 gallons) a day. That should supply someone’s average drinking-water needs. |
20583 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
It allows plants to grow without watering them. It could be used to grow crops in dry places.
The MIT team is also designing a hydrogel-based device. Rather than grow food like the SmartFarm, it will produce drinking water. Díaz-Marín explains how it would work: At night, an open box containing their gel captures water vapor from the air. The next day, the sun heats up the hydrogel in the box, releasing the moisture. The box also contains a material that can be cooled without using electricity. When the water vapor touches that cold surface, it condenses into droplets — like the morning dew on grass. Once condensed, the clean water falls into a storage chamber.
The team is working to engineer a device that can extract 2 to 5 liters (0.5 to 1.3 gallons) a day. That should supply someone’s average drinking-water needs.
As places get drier, new sources of drinking water will be needed. |
20584 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
It could be used to grow crops in dry places.
The MIT team is also designing a hydrogel-based device. Rather than grow food like the SmartFarm, it will produce drinking water. Díaz-Marín explains how it would work: At night, an open box containing their gel captures water vapor from the air. The next day, the sun heats up the hydrogel in the box, releasing the moisture. The box also contains a material that can be cooled without using electricity. When the water vapor touches that cold surface, it condenses into droplets — like the morning dew on grass. Once condensed, the clean water falls into a storage chamber.
The team is working to engineer a device that can extract 2 to 5 liters (0.5 to 1.3 gallons) a day. That should supply someone’s average drinking-water needs.
As places get drier, new sources of drinking water will be needed. It’s great that hydrogels can make water anywhere, says Díaz-Marín. |
20585 | A new hydrogel could help pull drinking water from the air
Rather than grow food like the SmartFarm, it will produce drinking water. Díaz-Marín explains how it would work: At night, an open box containing their gel captures water vapor from the air. The next day, the sun heats up the hydrogel in the box, releasing the moisture. The box also contains a material that can be cooled without using electricity. When the water vapor touches that cold surface, it condenses into droplets — like the morning dew on grass. Once condensed, the clean water falls into a storage chamber.
The team is working to engineer a device that can extract 2 to 5 liters (0.5 to 1.3 gallons) a day. That should supply someone’s average drinking-water needs.
As places get drier, new sources of drinking water will be needed. It’s great that hydrogels can make water anywhere, says Díaz-Marín. For ultra-dry places with few other options, he says, they could be a lifesaver. |
20586 | Bringing aqueous rechargeable zinc iodine batteries to the mainstream energy market
New research aims to improve the stability and safety of alternatives to rechargeable lithium-ion batteries using aqueous zinc and hydrogels.
The demand for rechargeable batteries as a result of the growth of both the personal electronics and electric vehicle markets has grown steadily over the last decade. Lithium-ion batteries are one of the technologies that have emerged and matured due to this demand.
In 2020, Statista estimated that lithium-ion batteries accounted for 185 gigawatts (GWh) of energy consumed, and this energy demand is projected to reach 2,035 GWh by 2030. Most of this growth is accounted for by the increased desire for electric vehicles as people turn away from fossil fuels.
While it is undeniable that lithium-ion batteries are more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels and while they are also relatively inexpensive, these batteries aren’t perfect. |
20587 | Bringing aqueous rechargeable zinc iodine batteries to the mainstream energy market
New research aims to improve the stability and safety of alternatives to rechargeable lithium-ion batteries using aqueous zinc and hydrogels.
The demand for rechargeable batteries as a result of the growth of both the personal electronics and electric vehicle markets has grown steadily over the last decade. Lithium-ion batteries are one of the technologies that have emerged and matured due to this demand.
In 2020, Statista estimated that lithium-ion batteries accounted for 185 gigawatts (GWh) of energy consumed, and this energy demand is projected to reach 2,035 GWh by 2030. Most of this growth is accounted for by the increased desire for electric vehicles as people turn away from fossil fuels.
While it is undeniable that lithium-ion batteries are more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels and while they are also relatively inexpensive, these batteries aren’t perfect. One of the major drawbacks of these lithium-ion batteries is the inherent risk of burning or even explosion as the result of thermal runaway, with overheated lithium-ion batteries deemed responsible for a number of fires in the past. |
20588 | Bringing aqueous rechargeable zinc iodine batteries to the mainstream energy market
The demand for rechargeable batteries as a result of the growth of both the personal electronics and electric vehicle markets has grown steadily over the last decade. Lithium-ion batteries are one of the technologies that have emerged and matured due to this demand.
In 2020, Statista estimated that lithium-ion batteries accounted for 185 gigawatts (GWh) of energy consumed, and this energy demand is projected to reach 2,035 GWh by 2030. Most of this growth is accounted for by the increased desire for electric vehicles as people turn away from fossil fuels.
While it is undeniable that lithium-ion batteries are more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels and while they are also relatively inexpensive, these batteries aren’t perfect. One of the major drawbacks of these lithium-ion batteries is the inherent risk of burning or even explosion as the result of thermal runaway, with overheated lithium-ion batteries deemed responsible for a number of fires in the past.
A possibility with zinc
One potential substitute for lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable zinc iodine batteries , which have the advantage of being safer, costing less, and being more friendly to the environment than lithium alternatives. |
20589 | Bringing aqueous rechargeable zinc iodine batteries to the mainstream energy market
In 2020, Statista estimated that lithium-ion batteries accounted for 185 gigawatts (GWh) of energy consumed, and this energy demand is projected to reach 2,035 GWh by 2030. Most of this growth is accounted for by the increased desire for electric vehicles as people turn away from fossil fuels.
While it is undeniable that lithium-ion batteries are more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels and while they are also relatively inexpensive, these batteries aren’t perfect. One of the major drawbacks of these lithium-ion batteries is the inherent risk of burning or even explosion as the result of thermal runaway, with overheated lithium-ion batteries deemed responsible for a number of fires in the past.
A possibility with zinc
One potential substitute for lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable zinc iodine batteries , which have the advantage of being safer, costing less, and being more friendly to the environment than lithium alternatives.
However, zinc iodine batteries are not perfect. |
20590 | Bringing aqueous rechargeable zinc iodine batteries to the mainstream energy market
In 2020, Statista estimated that lithium-ion batteries accounted for 185 gigawatts (GWh) of energy consumed, and this energy demand is projected to reach 2,035 GWh by 2030. Most of this growth is accounted for by the increased desire for electric vehicles as people turn away from fossil fuels.
While it is undeniable that lithium-ion batteries are more environmentally friendly than fossil fuels and while they are also relatively inexpensive, these batteries aren’t perfect. One of the major drawbacks of these lithium-ion batteries is the inherent risk of burning or even explosion as the result of thermal runaway, with overheated lithium-ion batteries deemed responsible for a number of fires in the past.
A possibility with zinc
One potential substitute for lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable zinc iodine batteries , which have the advantage of being safer, costing less, and being more friendly to the environment than lithium alternatives.
However, zinc iodine batteries are not perfect. Composed of an negative iodine electrode and a positive zinc electrode , these batteries suffer from issues like lower energy output compared to commercial non-aqueous lithium batteries and the growth of zinc dendrites on the anodes — projections of material that build on electrodes and short batteries when they cross from one electrode to another — as well as the corrosion of the zinc anode that result in reduced efficiency and even short-circuiting. |
20591 | Bringing aqueous rechargeable zinc iodine batteries to the mainstream energy market
One of the major drawbacks of these lithium-ion batteries is the inherent risk of burning or even explosion as the result of thermal runaway, with overheated lithium-ion batteries deemed responsible for a number of fires in the past.
A possibility with zinc
One potential substitute for lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable zinc iodine batteries , which have the advantage of being safer, costing less, and being more friendly to the environment than lithium alternatives.
However, zinc iodine batteries are not perfect. Composed of an negative iodine electrode and a positive zinc electrode , these batteries suffer from issues like lower energy output compared to commercial non-aqueous lithium batteries and the growth of zinc dendrites on the anodes — projections of material that build on electrodes and short batteries when they cross from one electrode to another — as well as the corrosion of the zinc anode that result in reduced efficiency and even short-circuiting.
In a new paper published in the journal Advanced Materials, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences professor Hongjin Fan and his co-authors examine different electrolytes for aqueous zinc ion batteries that take the form of hydrogels — three-dimensional network structures that are capable of storing large amounts of water — to address some of these challenges. |
20592 | Bringing aqueous rechargeable zinc iodine batteries to the mainstream energy market
However, zinc iodine batteries are not perfect. Composed of an negative iodine electrode and a positive zinc electrode , these batteries suffer from issues like lower energy output compared to commercial non-aqueous lithium batteries and the growth of zinc dendrites on the anodes — projections of material that build on electrodes and short batteries when they cross from one electrode to another — as well as the corrosion of the zinc anode that result in reduced efficiency and even short-circuiting.
In a new paper published in the journal Advanced Materials, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences professor Hongjin Fan and his co-authors examine different electrolytes for aqueous zinc ion batteries that take the form of hydrogels — three-dimensional network structures that are capable of storing large amounts of water — to address some of these challenges.
“The core concept of our research is that we design the hydrogel electrolytes by introducing functional groups [specific groupings of atoms within molecules that have their own characteristic properties] that carry either positive or negative charges,” Fan said. |
20593 | Bringing aqueous rechargeable zinc iodine batteries to the mainstream energy market
In a new paper published in the journal Advanced Materials, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences professor Hongjin Fan and his co-authors examine different electrolytes for aqueous zinc ion batteries that take the form of hydrogels — three-dimensional network structures that are capable of storing large amounts of water — to address some of these challenges.
“The core concept of our research is that we design the hydrogel electrolytes by introducing functional groups [specific groupings of atoms within molecules that have their own characteristic properties] that carry either positive or negative charges,” Fan said. “Our idea is to use a hetero-hydrogel to mitigate challenges on both the anode and the cathode sides of the zinc iodine batteries.”
A hydrogel boost
Fan explained that the purpose of this hydrogel modification is to ensure that when zinc accumulates on the anode side, it does so evenly. |
20594 | Bringing aqueous rechargeable zinc iodine batteries to the mainstream energy market
In a new paper published in the journal Advanced Materials, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences professor Hongjin Fan and his co-authors examine different electrolytes for aqueous zinc ion batteries that take the form of hydrogels — three-dimensional network structures that are capable of storing large amounts of water — to address some of these challenges.
“The core concept of our research is that we design the hydrogel electrolytes by introducing functional groups [specific groupings of atoms within molecules that have their own characteristic properties] that carry either positive or negative charges,” Fan said. “Our idea is to use a hetero-hydrogel to mitigate challenges on both the anode and the cathode sides of the zinc iodine batteries.”
A hydrogel boost
Fan explained that the purpose of this hydrogel modification is to ensure that when zinc accumulates on the anode side, it does so evenly. This has the effect of mitigating the diffusion back and forth of polysulfide between anode and cathode, the so-called “shuttle effect”, which can cause poor cycling stability and severe anode corrosion in batteries. |
20595 | Bringing aqueous rechargeable zinc iodine batteries to the mainstream energy market
“The core concept of our research is that we design the hydrogel electrolytes by introducing functional groups [specific groupings of atoms within molecules that have their own characteristic properties] that carry either positive or negative charges,” Fan said. “Our idea is to use a hetero-hydrogel to mitigate challenges on both the anode and the cathode sides of the zinc iodine batteries.”
A hydrogel boost
Fan explained that the purpose of this hydrogel modification is to ensure that when zinc accumulates on the anode side, it does so evenly. This has the effect of mitigating the diffusion back and forth of polysulfide between anode and cathode, the so-called “shuttle effect”, which can cause poor cycling stability and severe anode corrosion in batteries. The use of a hydrogel electrolyte also has the effect of accelerating the iodine conversion reaction on the cathode side. |
20596 | Bringing aqueous rechargeable zinc iodine batteries to the mainstream energy market
“The core concept of our research is that we design the hydrogel electrolytes by introducing functional groups [specific groupings of atoms within molecules that have their own characteristic properties] that carry either positive or negative charges,” Fan said. “Our idea is to use a hetero-hydrogel to mitigate challenges on both the anode and the cathode sides of the zinc iodine batteries.”
A hydrogel boost
Fan explained that the purpose of this hydrogel modification is to ensure that when zinc accumulates on the anode side, it does so evenly. This has the effect of mitigating the diffusion back and forth of polysulfide between anode and cathode, the so-called “shuttle effect”, which can cause poor cycling stability and severe anode corrosion in batteries. The use of a hydrogel electrolyte also has the effect of accelerating the iodine conversion reaction on the cathode side.
Fan explained that the anode and cathode of the hydrogel have different functional groups that make it both zincophilic (with an affinity for zinc ) and iodophilic ( with an affinity for iodine), respectively. |
20597 | Bringing aqueous rechargeable zinc iodine batteries to the mainstream energy market
“Our idea is to use a hetero-hydrogel to mitigate challenges on both the anode and the cathode sides of the zinc iodine batteries.”
A hydrogel boost
Fan explained that the purpose of this hydrogel modification is to ensure that when zinc accumulates on the anode side, it does so evenly. This has the effect of mitigating the diffusion back and forth of polysulfide between anode and cathode, the so-called “shuttle effect”, which can cause poor cycling stability and severe anode corrosion in batteries. The use of a hydrogel electrolyte also has the effect of accelerating the iodine conversion reaction on the cathode side.
Fan explained that the anode and cathode of the hydrogel have different functional groups that make it both zincophilic (with an affinity for zinc ) and iodophilic ( with an affinity for iodine), respectively.
On the anode side of the battery, this has the effect of repelling dissolved polyiodides — negatively charged ions composed entirely of iodine atoms — allowing the zinc to be deposited uniformly, protecting the anode from iodine-caused corrosion. |
20598 | Bringing aqueous rechargeable zinc iodine batteries to the mainstream energy market
This has the effect of mitigating the diffusion back and forth of polysulfide between anode and cathode, the so-called “shuttle effect”, which can cause poor cycling stability and severe anode corrosion in batteries. The use of a hydrogel electrolyte also has the effect of accelerating the iodine conversion reaction on the cathode side.
Fan explained that the anode and cathode of the hydrogel have different functional groups that make it both zincophilic (with an affinity for zinc ) and iodophilic ( with an affinity for iodine), respectively.
On the anode side of the battery, this has the effect of repelling dissolved polyiodides — negatively charged ions composed entirely of iodine atoms — allowing the zinc to be deposited uniformly, protecting the anode from iodine-caused corrosion.
The polyiodides are immobilized at the cathode side of the battery, and reactions in which iodine is both stripped of electrons (oxidization) and also granted electrons (reduction) — so-called “redox reactions” — are sped up thanks to the synchronized rapid transport of ions and electrons. |
20599 | Bringing aqueous rechargeable zinc iodine batteries to the mainstream energy market
The use of a hydrogel electrolyte also has the effect of accelerating the iodine conversion reaction on the cathode side.
Fan explained that the anode and cathode of the hydrogel have different functional groups that make it both zincophilic (with an affinity for zinc ) and iodophilic ( with an affinity for iodine), respectively.
On the anode side of the battery, this has the effect of repelling dissolved polyiodides — negatively charged ions composed entirely of iodine atoms — allowing the zinc to be deposited uniformly, protecting the anode from iodine-caused corrosion.
The polyiodides are immobilized at the cathode side of the battery, and reactions in which iodine is both stripped of electrons (oxidization) and also granted electrons (reduction) — so-called “redox reactions” — are sped up thanks to the synchronized rapid transport of ions and electrons.
The solid nature of the hydrogel electrolyte can also limit the growth of dendrites thanks to its mechanical strength, which acts as a physical barrier not present in liquid electrolytes. |
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