A yolk@shell superhydrophobic/superhydrophilic solar evaporator for efficient and stable desalination. Issue 29 (17th July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hu, Tao; Li, Lingxiao; Yang, Yanfei; Zhang, Junping
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 8:Issue 29(2020)
• Page Start: 14736
• Page End: 14745
• Publication Date: 2020-07-17
• Subjects: Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/d0ta04917d
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7488

Abstract

Abstract : A yolk@shell superhydrophobic/superhydrophilic solar evaporator was prepared for efficient and stable desalination, and could generate 11.8 kg m −2 of clean water in 10 h. Abstract : Solar-driven interfacial evaporation for desalination is a very promising strategy for obtaining clean water while avoiding an energy crisis and environmental pollution. However, the poor evaporation performance and long-term salt-resistance of conventional solar evaporators in seawater seriously hinder their applications for practical solar desalination. Here, we report a yolk@shell superhydrophobic/superhydrophilic solar evaporator for efficient and stable desalination. The evaporator was prepared by coating a superelastic superhydrophobic silicone sponge with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the top surface followed by changing the external surface to be superhydrophilic. The silicone/MWCNT evaporator features high sunlight absorption and photothermal conversion by the silicone/MWCNT hybrid layer, sufficient water supply and rapid salt dissolution in the superhydrophilic shell, and low heat loss enabled by the superhydrophobic yolk. Consequently, the evaporator shows a stable evaporation rate of 1.72 kg m −2 h −1 during a 200 h continuous solar desalination of seawater under 1 sun. Furthermore, 11.8 kg m −2 of clean water could be collected in a sealed setup using the evaporator upon 10 h continuous solar desalination. The high-performance evaporator may find practical applications for solar desalination of seawater and wastewater, as it can be prepared by a very simple procedure.