Fig. 1.

AWH process and design rationale of AWH sorbents. (A) Illustration of a typical SAWH process. (B) Schematic representation of two moisture capture mechanisms: 1) Salt Deliquescence—a three-step process involving hygroscopic salts, including chemisorption, crystallization, and deliquescence, which requires elevated temperatures for complete desorption of salt hydrates; 2) Confined Hydration—molecularly confined hygroscopic sites enable water capture within the molecular mesh, allowing for water release at lower temperatures due to conformational changes in the thermoresponsive gel network without the involvement of crystal hydrates. (C) Qualitative comparison of salt-contained sorbents, highlighting key performance factors for AWH sorbents.