Our Technology,
Materials that Regulate Climate
Adept Materials has developed a proprietary two-layer system that endows materials with advanced moisture management capabilities.
The technology can be applied to incumbent construction, healthcare and textile materials – ranging from plywood to polyester – to provide a moisture barrier that not just keeps moisture away, but also actively removes new and existing moisture.
Protecting from Moisture Damage
A pair of layers work in concert to create a responsive material with unique properties. The thinner layer acts like a gate that opens when the humidity rises. The thicker layer acts like a sponge, absorbing incoming water vapor, redistributing moisture within its pores, and letting the water evaporate into a dry environment. The combined two-layer system is truly multi-functional.
Directional Vapor Control
Adept Materials allow water vapor to pass easily in one direction while resisting its motion in the other.
When the humidity is high on the side of the thinner layer, the gate opens and allows water vapor to diffuse through it into the thicker layer, which absorbs that water like a sponge. The water gets redistributed within the pores of the thicker layer before evaporating into the dry air on the side of the thicker layer. In sum, these processes allow water vapor to move easily in the “gate-to-sponge” direction.
On the other hand, when the humidity is high on the side of the thicker layer, that layer absorbs water vapor and sequesters it away from the thinner layer, and the gate stays closed. Water vapor transport is therefore restricted from moving in the “sponge-to-gate” direction.
A Vapor Pumping Effect
Adept Materials have a unique ability to pump water vapor out of damp materials or spaces. This offers unrivaled protection against moisture damage.
Here’s the science behind it: Hot air can hold more water vapor than cold air. So, at night when the temperature falls, the relative humidity rises, and this opens up the thinner gate layer. The thicker sponge layer gathers water vapor from the damp air on both sides. In the daytime, when the temperature rises again, the humidity falls, and the thinner gate layer closes. The stored water evaporates into the warm, dry air, but it does not leave the way it entered. The thicker sponge layer discharges water directionally – away from the closed gate layer. With every hot-cold cycle, the material pumps out more moisture.
A Vapor Pumping Effect
Adept Materials have a unique ability to pump water vapor out of damp materials or spaces. This offers unrivaled protection against moisture damage.
Here’s the science behind it: Hot air can hold more water vapor than cold air. So, at night when the temperature falls, the relative humidity rises, and this opens up the thinner gate layer. The thicker sponge layer gathers water vapor from the damp air on both sides. In the daytime, when the temperature rises again, the humidity falls, and the thinner gate layer closes. The stored water evaporates into the warm, dry air, but it does not leave the way it entered. The thicker sponge layer discharges water directionally – away from the closed gate layer. With every hot-cold cycle, the material pumps out more moisture.
Humidity Regulation
Adept Materials stabilize the humidity in their environment.
When the humidity begins to rise, the material absorbs the excess water vapor from the environment. When the humidity begins to fall, the material releases stored water vapor into the environment. Both processes prevent large swings in humidity. The material has a huge capacity to regulate humidity because the thicker sponge layer stores water in a condensed form that is about ten thousand times denser than the water vapor in the air.
Humidity Regulation
Adept Materials stabilize the humidity in their environment.
When the humidity begins to rise, the material absorbs the excess water vapor from the environment. When the humidity begins to fall, the material releases stored water vapor into the environment. Both processes prevent large swings in humidity. The material has a huge capacity to regulate humidity because the thicker sponge layer stores water in a condensed form that is about ten thousand times denser than the water vapor in the air.
Temperature Regulation
Adept Materials also stabilize the temperature of their environment.
Water creates a strong cooling effect when it evaporates from a surface. The effect is familiar to everyone because the evaporation of sweat helps cool us on hot days. The cooling effect comes from the large quantity of latent heat water absorbs as it converts from condensed water into water vapor. Evaporative cooling happens when the temperature rises and the humidity falls. The process goes into reverse when the temperature falls and the humidity rises: Water vapor condenses and the latent heat is released into the environment, creating a warming effect. The thick sponge layer thus stores and releases latent heat just like a phase change material.
Temperature Regulation
Adept Materials also stabilize the temperature of their environment.
Water creates a strong cooling effect when it evaporates from a surface. The effect is familiar to everyone because the evaporation of sweat helps cool us on hot days. The cooling effect comes from the large quantity of latent heat water absorbs as it converts from condensed water into water vapor. Evaporative cooling happens when the temperature rises and the humidity falls. The process goes into reverse when the temperature falls and the humidity rises: Water vapor condenses and the latent heat is released into the environment, creating a warming effect. The thick sponge layer thus stores and releases latent heat just like a phase change material.
Adept Materials’ multifunctional heterostructure serves three functions:
- Directional vapor control
- Humidity regulation
- Temperature regulation
It works by using distinct properties of the two membranes:
1. A desiccant that adsorbs a large quantity of water vapor proportional to the relative humidity (RH).
2. A vapor retarder whose permeance is high when RH is high but is low when RH is l
The relationship between these two membranes creates a vapor diode.
Within the diode, water vapor escapes the wall cavity easily but is retarded upon entering; a pumping effect removes moisture from the wall (tens of liters per year).
This moisture wicking reduces the risk of mold, rot, and other moisture-related damage.