In this Review, we provide a multiscale perspective for SAWH technologies that can fill existing knowledge gaps across multiple length scales. First, we elucidate water sorption mechanisms at the molecular level, approaches to understanding sorbent materials, and water transport phenomena. With microscopic insights, we bridge materials innovations to device realization, discuss strategies to enhance device-level sorption kinetics and heat transfer performance, and show that a multiscale design and optimization strategy can lead to a new opportunity space towards system thermodynamic limits. Finally, we provide an outlook for the technoeconomic, social and environmental impact of large-scale SAWH as a global water technology. By bridging materials to devices, we envision that this multiscale perspective can guide next-generation SAWH technologies and facilitate a broader impact on society and the environment.

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