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MIT researchers discover "photomolecular effect": light alone can evaporate water without heat, a previously unknown physics phenomenon that could enable new technologies (news.mit.edu)

submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Paper If I understand correctly, it relates to light’s behavior as both a particle and a wave. Photons can “shave” molecules off the surface of water, creating vapor.

The effect apparently peaks around 520 nm (the visible color cyan, which has lower thermal absorption) and at an angle of 45 deg. Would these results suggest it’s actually possible to induce evaporative cooling with the careful application of light?

[–] Dubiousx99 18 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I wonder if it could be used to improve desalination techniques.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 2 months ago

Was fully prepared for the answer to this to be that a couple extra molecules evaporating don’t make a big difference, but:

Under the optimum conditions of color, angle, and polarization, Lv says, “the evaporation rate is four times the thermal limit.”

That sounds legitimately exciting!