IPR Member Professor Michael Tam
The global community confronts a critical challenge of depleting freshwater resources. With the world population continuing to surge at an alarming pace, the demand for clean water is escalating, underscoring the urgent necessity for innovative, sustainable solutions.
In response to this predicament, Professor Michael Tam, a member of the IPR, has conceived pioneering mechanisms for extracting water vapor from the atmosphere. Guided by a commitment to sustainable technology, Tam employs net-zero carbon materials, including natural and plant-based substances. Through the fusion of interfacial science and nanotechnology, Tam is shaping technologies that capture and repel water droplets.
Holding the distinguished position of University Research Chair, Tam has drawn inspiration from spiders, beetles, and mushrooms to devise these advancements.
Tam, a member of the IPR states "Drawing from these inspirations, we have engineered technology utilizing natural elements capable of water capture. Remarkably, our research has revealed that capturing just one square meter of surface yields an impressive five liters of water per hour."