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Biography:
Prof. Linda Zou
joined Masdar Institute, now Khalifa University of Science and Technology, as a Full Professor in October 2014.
Her research interests include applying nanotechnology and membrane science to the development of low energy and high efficiency novel desalination and water purification solutions. Her research outcomes have been published in more than 150 journal articles and conference presentations (with Google Scholar H-index 46 and 7000 citations).
Her cloud seeding research has been reported by New York Times in 2017.
She is the chief investigator of many frontier research projects sponsored by Australian Research Council.
She is also the recipient of the UK-Gulf Institutional Links 2016 grants awarded by the British Council.
Project Brief:
“Nanotechnology to develop cloud seeding materials for enhanced rain droplet formation”
Professor Linda Zou’s project intends to improve the effectiveness of cloud seeding technologies used to increase rain precipitation, through engineering nanostructured properties of the cloud seeding materials to help water vapor in clouds condense, which is the necessary process needed for raindrops to form.
The goal of the project is to explore state of art knowledge of nanotechnology to fabricate innovative cloud seeding materials, to increase the efficiency of rain droplet formation.
Linda Zou’s project has also developed innovative in-situ observation method to evaluate water adsorption and condensation of cloud seeding materials using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) mean.
The numeric cloud models have been developed first for the inclusion of new cloud seeding materials and second to predict rainfall formation and precipitation.
Professor Zou collaborated with the University of Belgrade for her project.
Key Outcomes:
The project aimed to use nanotechnology to design nanostructured cloud seeding materials to significantly impact water condensation and collision-coalescence for warm clouds, and nucleation and crystal growth for colder clouds. Key outcomes:
- Core/shell structured particles with TiO2 nanoparticles coated on the NaCl crystals (CSNT) were designed and synthesized. The hydrophilic TiO2 shell and hygroscopic NaCl core demonstrated enhanced condensation and water droplet formation and growth.
- Nanostructured particles through a bioinspired gradient-driven mechanism as cloud condensation nuclei were designed and synthesized.
- Novel ice nucleation seeding particles were designed and synthesized for ice nucleation.
- Methods for real-time observation by ESEM for evaluation of water vapor and nanocomposite interactions were developed and used to evaluate the materials' characteristics.
- Both 1D and 3D numerical models were developed for evaluation of the effects of the novel cloud condensation nuclei on rain enhancement.
For more information on the project please visit: https://nanocloudseeding.wordpress.com
