Jeddah, Dhu-Al-Qa'dah 29, 1438 H., Aug 21, 2017, SPA -- KAUST team has developed a floating membrane using sunlight to evaporate water, revealing its water purification and desalination capabilities, which are based on materials called Transition Metal Carbides. Research team led by Dr. Peng Wang has discovered properties of these transition metals and carbon known as MXenes, which can efficiently evaporate the water using solar energy, enabling the research team to conduct surveys and research on MXenes compounds, capture the energy of sunlight to purify water through evaporation, with high efficiency in the use of energy, confirming that it is a material worthy of mechanics, one of the latest technology. The University has decided that the head of the research team decided to focus on water desalination techniques, by using the sun's energy to convert water to steam, showing good results during the survey and noted that this material (Ti3C2), can convert the energy of sunlight to heat efficiently 100% and the fabrication of a thin and flexible Ti3C2 membrane, includes a barrier of heat from polystyrene, to prevent the thermal energy from escaping, resulting in a system that can float on the water and evaporate some water, at 84% efficiency in natural light levels of the sun. Hoping to penetrate what he called the 85 percent efficiency barrier for the transfer of photovoltaic-thermal water purification techniques to new horizons, the team indicated that the research team reached to maximize the system's ability to capture light, which also encouraged them to search for ways to capture water vapor and conclude with an integrated water purification system. KAUST university has drawn attention to the fact that this technology has attracted the interest of scientists and many other sectors, especially in business, noting that the head of the research team is currently in talks with a potential industrial partner. -- SPA 19:56 LOCAL TIME 16:56 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w470800