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Wang G, Qi G, Hu C, Zhang X, Liu W, Guo Z, Ru Y, Zhang L, Wei Z, Wang X, Jiang C, Li B, Han P, Qiao J. Superelastic Polymer Aerogel with Superamphiphilicity. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024. [PMID: 39096245 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c09383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
Elastic aerogels have become a research hot spot in both academia and industry recently. The reported elastic aerogels are all made of hard materials by controlling their shapes. Herein we report an elastic aerogel made of a polymer elastomer with entropy elasticity. In the aerogel, cross-linked carboxyl nitrile rubber nanoparticles with hydrophilicity are dispersed in hydrophobic derivative of styrene-maleic anhydride alternating copolymer, forming a very special micro-nano surface structure with hydrophilic protrusions and hydrophobic depressions on the aerogel wall; therefore, the aerogel is not only superelastic but also superamphiphilic. A leak-free phase-change composite was prepared using the aerogel and paraffin, which can maintain at phase change temperature of paraffin for a longer time than the traditional one. The aerogel is also extremely suitable for desalination evaporators in solar-driven interfacial evaporation technology due to its superamphiphilicity, superelasticity, and ability to absorb sunlight. Exceptional evaporation rate of 2.78 kg·m-2·h-1 and evaporation efficiency of 170% could be reached even without using expensive light-absorbing materials. The evaporation rate exceeds that of most evaporators with expensive light-absorbing materials, and the evaporation efficiency exceeds the theoretical limit of conventional 2D solar evaporators. Both the phase-change composite and the evaporator can be easily recovered because the novel superelastic aerogel reported in this work is also recyclable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoyu Wang
- SINOPEC Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry, Beijing 100013, P. R. China
- SINOPEC (Beijing) Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Beijing 100013, P. R. China
| | - Guicun Qi
- SINOPEC Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry, Beijing 100013, P. R. China
- SINOPEC (Beijing) Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Beijing 100013, P. R. China
| | - Chenxi Hu
- SINOPEC Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry, Beijing 100013, P. R. China
- SINOPEC (Beijing) Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Beijing 100013, P. R. China
| | - Xiaohong Zhang
- SINOPEC Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry, Beijing 100013, P. R. China
- SINOPEC (Beijing) Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Beijing 100013, P. R. China
| | - Wenlu Liu
- SINOPEC Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry, Beijing 100013, P. R. China
- SINOPEC (Beijing) Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Beijing 100013, P. R. China
| | - Zhaoyan Guo
- SINOPEC Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry, Beijing 100013, P. R. China
- SINOPEC (Beijing) Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Beijing 100013, P. R. China
| | - Yue Ru
- SINOPEC Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry, Beijing 100013, P. R. China
- SINOPEC (Beijing) Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Beijing 100013, P. R. China
| | - Liangdong Zhang
- SINOPEC Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry, Beijing 100013, P. R. China
- SINOPEC (Beijing) Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Beijing 100013, P. R. China
| | - Zhong Wei
- SINOPEC Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry, Beijing 100013, P. R. China
- SINOPEC (Beijing) Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Beijing 100013, P. R. China
| | - Xiang Wang
- SINOPEC Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry, Beijing 100013, P. R. China
- SINOPEC (Beijing) Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Beijing 100013, P. R. China
| | - Chao Jiang
- SINOPEC Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry, Beijing 100013, P. R. China
- SINOPEC (Beijing) Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Beijing 100013, P. R. China
| | - Binghai Li
- SINOPEC Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry, Beijing 100013, P. R. China
- SINOPEC (Beijing) Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Beijing 100013, P. R. China
| | - Peng Han
- SINOPEC Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry, Beijing 100013, P. R. China
- SINOPEC (Beijing) Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Beijing 100013, P. R. China
| | - Jinliang Qiao
- SINOPEC Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry, Beijing 100013, P. R. China
- SINOPEC (Beijing) Research Institute of Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Beijing 100013, P. R. China
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2
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Huang XP, Li LX, Chen K, Zhang JP. Scalable Superhydrophilic Solar Evaporators for Long-Term Stable Desalination, Fresh Water Collection and Salt Collection by Vertical Salt Deposition. CHEMSUSCHEM 2024; 17:e202400111. [PMID: 38424000 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202400111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SIE) is very promising to solve the issue of fresh water shortage, however, poor salt resistance severely hinders long-term stable SIE and fresh water collection. Here, we report design of superhydrophilic solar evaporators for long-term stable desalination, fresh water collection and salt collection by vertical salt deposition. The evaporators are prepared by sequentially deposition of silicone nanofilaments, polypyrrole and Au nanoparticles on a polyester fabric composed of microfibers. The evaporators feature excellent photothermal effect and ultrafast water transport, due to their unique micro-/nanostructure and superhydrophilicity. As a result, during SIE the salt gradually deposits vertically rather than occupies larger area on the evaporators. Consequently, long-term stable SIE with high evaporation rates of 2.4-2.1 kg m-2 h-1 for 3.5-20 wt % brine in continuous 10 h is achieved under 1 sun illumination. Meanwhile, the loosely deposited salt can be easily collected, realizing zero brine discharge. Moreover, scalable preparation of the evaporator is achieved, which exhibits efficient collection of high quality fresh water (10.08 kg m-2 in 8 h) via SIE desalination under weak natural sunlight (0.46~0.66 sun). This strategy sheds a new light on the design of high-performance solar evaporators and their real-world fresh water collection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaopeng P Huang
- Center of Eco-material and Green Chemistry, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Lingxiao X Li
- Center of Eco-material and Green Chemistry, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Kai Chen
- Center of Eco-material and Green Chemistry, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
| | - Junping P Zhang
- Center of Eco-material and Green Chemistry, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
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3
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Chen L, Yu X, Gao M, Xu C, Zhang J, Zhang X, Zhu M, Cheng Y. Renewable biomass-based aerogels: from structural design to functional regulation. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:7489-7530. [PMID: 38894663 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs01014g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Global population growth and industrialization have exacerbated the nonrenewable energy crises and environmental issues, thereby stimulating an enormous demand for producing environmentally friendly materials. Typically, biomass-based aerogels (BAs), which are mainly composed of biomass materials, show great application prospects in various fields because of their exceptional properties such as biocompatibility, degradability, and renewability. To improve the performance of BAs to meet the usage requirements of different scenarios, a large number of innovative works in the past few decades have emphasized the importance of micro-structural design in regulating macroscopic functions. Inspired by the ubiquitous random or regularly arranged structures of materials in nature ranging from micro to meso and macro scales, constructing different microstructures often corresponds to completely different functions even with similar biomolecular compositions. This review focuses on the preparation process, design concepts, regulation methods, and the synergistic combination of chemical compositions and microstructures of BAs with different porous structures from the perspective of gel skeleton and pore structure. It not only comprehensively introduces the effect of various microstructures on the physical properties of BAs, but also analyzes their potential applications in the corresponding fields of thermal management, water treatment, atmospheric water harvesting, CO2 absorption, energy storage and conversion, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, biological applications, etc. Finally, we provide our perspectives regarding the challenges and future opportunities of BAs. Overall, our goal is to provide researchers with a thorough understanding of the relationship between the microstructures and properties of BAs, supported by a comprehensive analysis of the available data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linfeng Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaoxiao Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, People's Republic of China.
| | - Mengyue Gao
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, People's Republic of China.
| | - Chengjian Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, People's Republic of China.
| | - Junyan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xinhai Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, People's Republic of China.
| | - Meifang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yanhua Cheng
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, People's Republic of China.
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Kim HT, Philip L, McDonagh A, Johir M, Ren J, Shon HK, Tijing LD. Recent Advances in High-Rate Solar-Driven Interfacial Evaporation. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2401322. [PMID: 38704683 PMCID: PMC11234448 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202401322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Recent advances in solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) have led to high evaporation rates that open promising avenues for practical utilization in freshwater production and industrial application for pollutant and nutrient concentration, and resource recovery. Breakthroughs in overcoming the theoretical limitation of 2D interfacial evaporation have allowed for developing systems with high evaporation rates. This study presents a comprehensive review of various evaporator designs that have achieved pure evaporation rates beyond 4 kg m-2 h-1, including structural and material designs allowing for rapid evaporation, passive 3D designs, and systems coupled with alternative energy sources of wind and joule heating. The operational mechanisms for each design are outlined together with discussion on the current benefits and areas for improvement. The overarching challenges encountered by SDIE concerning the feasibility of direct integration into contemporary practical settings are assessed, and issues relating to sustaining elevated evaporation rates under diverse environmental conditions are addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeon Tae Kim
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
- ARC Research Hub for Nutrients in a Circular Economy, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Ligy Philip
- Environmental Engineering Division, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
| | - Andrew McDonagh
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Md Johir
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Jiawei Ren
- Faculty of Architecture, Civil and Transportation Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, P. R. China
| | - Ho Kyong Shon
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
- ARC Research Hub for Nutrients in a Circular Economy, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Leonard D Tijing
- Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
- ARC Research Hub for Nutrients in a Circular Economy, University of Technology Sydney, PO Box 123, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
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5
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Wang T, Li M, Xu H, Wang X, Jia M, Hou X, Gao S, Liu Q, Yang Q, Tian M, Qu L, Song Z, Wu X, Wang L, Zhang X. MXene Sediment-Based Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Sodium Alginate Aerogel Evaporator with Vertically Aligned Channels for Highly Efficient Solar Steam Generation. NANO-MICRO LETTERS 2024; 16:220. [PMID: 38884682 PMCID: PMC11183014 DOI: 10.1007/s40820-024-01433-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Solar-driven interfacial evaporation from seawater is considered an effective way to alleviate the emerging freshwater crisis because of its green and environmentally friendly characteristics. However, developing an evaporator with high efficiency, stability, and salt resistance remains a key challenge. MXene, with an internal photothermal conversion efficiency of 100%, has received tremendous research interest as a photothermal material. However, the process to prepare the MXene with monolayer is inefficient and generates a large amount of "waste" MXene sediments (MS). Here, MXene sediments is selected as the photothermal material, and a three-dimensional MXene sediments/poly(vinyl alcohol)/sodium alginate aerogel evaporator with vertically aligned pores by directional freezing method is innovatively designed. The vertical porous structure enables the evaporator to improve water transport, light capture, and high evaporation rate. Cotton swabs and polypropylene are used as the water channel and support, respectively, thus fabricating a self-floating evaporator. The evaporator exhibits an evaporation rate of 3.6 kg m-2 h-1 under one-sun illumination, and 18.37 kg m-2 of freshwater is collected in the condensation collection device after 7 h of outdoor sun irradiation. The evaporator also displays excellent oil and salt resistance. This research fully utilizes "waste" MS, enabling a self-floating evaporation device for freshwater collection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Wang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Medical and Health Textile Materials, College of Textiles and Clothing, State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Research Center for Intelligent and Wearable Technology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, People's Republic of China
| | - Meng Li
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Medical and Health Textile Materials, College of Textiles and Clothing, State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Research Center for Intelligent and Wearable Technology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongxing Xu
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Medical and Health Textile Materials, College of Textiles and Clothing, State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Research Center for Intelligent and Wearable Technology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Medical and Health Textile Materials, College of Textiles and Clothing, State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Research Center for Intelligent and Wearable Technology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingshu Jia
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Medical and Health Textile Materials, College of Textiles and Clothing, State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Research Center for Intelligent and Wearable Technology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianguang Hou
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Medical and Health Textile Materials, College of Textiles and Clothing, State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Research Center for Intelligent and Wearable Technology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuai Gao
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Medical and Health Textile Materials, College of Textiles and Clothing, State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Research Center for Intelligent and Wearable Technology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingman Liu
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Medical and Health Textile Materials, College of Textiles and Clothing, State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Research Center for Intelligent and Wearable Technology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, People's Republic of China
| | - Qihang Yang
- College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266061, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingwei Tian
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Medical and Health Textile Materials, College of Textiles and Clothing, State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Research Center for Intelligent and Wearable Technology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, People's Republic of China
| | - Lijun Qu
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Medical and Health Textile Materials, College of Textiles and Clothing, State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Research Center for Intelligent and Wearable Technology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenhua Song
- Department of Pharmacology, Qingdao University School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaohu Wu
- Shandong Institute of Advanced Technology, Jinan, 250100, People's Republic of China.
| | - Lili Wang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Medical and Health Textile Materials, College of Textiles and Clothing, State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Research Center for Intelligent and Wearable Technology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiansheng Zhang
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Medical and Health Textile Materials, College of Textiles and Clothing, State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Research Center for Intelligent and Wearable Technology, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, People's Republic of China.
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Zhao X, Zhang H, Chan KY, Huang X, Yang Y, Shen X. Tree-Inspired Structurally Graded Aerogel with Synergistic Water, Salt, and Thermal Transport for High-Salinity Solar-Powered Evaporation. NANO-MICRO LETTERS 2024; 16:222. [PMID: 38884917 PMCID: PMC11183023 DOI: 10.1007/s40820-024-01448-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Solar-powered interfacial evaporation is an energy-efficient solution for water scarcity. It requires solar absorbers to facilitate upward water transport and limit the heat to the surface for efficient evaporation. Furthermore, downward salt ion transport is also desired to prevent salt accumulation. However, achieving simultaneously fast water uptake, downward salt transport, and heat localization is challenging due to highly coupled water, mass, and thermal transport. Here, we develop a structurally graded aerogel inspired by tree transport systems to collectively optimize water, salt, and thermal transport. The arched aerogel features root-like, fan-shaped microchannels for rapid water uptake and downward salt diffusion, and horizontally aligned pores near the surface for heat localization through maximizing solar absorption and minimizing conductive heat loss. These structural characteristics gave rise to consistent evaporation rates of 2.09 kg m-2 h-1 under one-sun illumination in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution for 7 days without degradation. Even in a high-salinity solution of 20 wt% NaCl, the evaporation rates maintained stable at 1.94 kg m-2 h-1 for 8 h without salt crystal formation. This work offers a novel microstructural design to address the complex interplay of water, salt, and thermal transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomeng Zhao
- Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Heng Zhang
- Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Kit-Ying Chan
- Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China
- Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinyue Huang
- Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunfei Yang
- Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Xi Shen
- Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China.
- Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China.
- Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China.
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7
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Wang Y, Xie H, Wan J. Biomimic Design of Solar Steam Generation Devices Enabled by the Tannin-Iron Complex. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:28550-28559. [PMID: 38776220 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c03986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
Solar-powered steam generation equipment has experienced considerable advancement in recent years as it offers a cleaner and greener method for freshwater production. However, the devices always suffer from a complicated process, high cost, and salt accumulation, which hinder their further application. Here, inspired by the water lily, a highly efficient and antisalt accumulation interfacial solar-driven steam generation device was designed by using the tannic acid-Fe3+ complex as photothermal material. The designed evaporator could be quickly unfolded within 24 s after being irradiated with light and then produce fresh water. It folded within 10 s and then sank into water for removing the accumulated salt after removing the irradiation sources. In addition, the tannic acid-Fe3+ complex on the evaporator surface and the angle of the evaporator allowed light to be reflected several times within the evaporator, effectively increasing the solar energy conversion efficient (2.22 kg/(m2·h)), and apparently, the overall evaporation efficiency of 139.18% was achieved under 1 sun illumination. Moreover, it exhibited an extraordinary antisalt accumulation capacity (by working continuously for 7 days in 10 wt % saline water and 80% reduction in salt accumulation) as well as a low price ($ 1.11/m2). This design would provide a strategy to prepare an antisalt accumulation solar steam devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Based Material Science and Technology (Ministry of Education), Material Science and Engineering College, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Hao Xie
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Based Material Science and Technology (Ministry of Education), Material Science and Engineering College, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Jianyong Wan
- Yunnan Province Key Lab of Wood Adhesives and Glued Products, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
- Yunnan International Joint R&D Center of Wood and Bamboo Biomass Materials, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
- International Joint Research Center for Biomass Materials, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China
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8
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Wu Y, Li S, Yan K, Xia M, Cheng Q, Xu J, He S, Zha X, Wang D, Wu L. Biomimetic Design of 3D Fe 3O 4/V-EVOH Fiber-Based Self-Floating Composite Aerogel to Enhance Solar Steam Generation Performance. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:4537-4545. [PMID: 38568783 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c00572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
An interfacial solar steam generation evaporator for seawater desalination has attracted extensive interest in recent years. Nevertheless, challenges still remain in relatively low evaporation rate, unsatisfactory energy conversion efficiency, and salt accumulation. Herein, we have demonstrated a biomimetic bilayer composite aerogel consisting of bottom hydrophilic and vertically aligned EVOH channels and an upper hydrophobic conical Fe3O4 array. Thanks to the design merits, the 3D Fe3O4/V-EVOH evaporator exhibits a high evaporation rate of ∼2.446 kg m-2 h-1 and an impressive solar energy conversion efficiency of ∼165.5% under 1 sun illumination, which is superior to those of state-of-the-art evaporators reported so far. Moreover, the asymmetrical wettability not only allows the evaporator to self-float on the water but also facilitates the salt ion diffusion in the channels; thus, the evaporator shows no salt crystals on its surface and only a 6% decrease in evaporation performance even after the salt concentration increases from 0 to 10.0 wt %.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Wu
- Key Laboratory of Textile Fiber and Products, Ministry of Education, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, People's Republic of China
| | - Shanshan Li
- Key Laboratory of Textile Fiber and Products, Ministry of Education, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai Yan
- College of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an 710021, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming Xia
- Key Laboratory of Textile Fiber and Products, Ministry of Education, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, People's Republic of China
| | - Qin Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Textile Fiber and Products, Ministry of Education, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, People's Republic of China
| | - Jia Xu
- Key Laboratory of Textile Fiber and Products, Ministry of Education, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, People's Republic of China
| | - Shanshan He
- Key Laboratory of Textile Fiber and Products, Ministry of Education, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinlin Zha
- Key Laboratory of Textile Fiber and Products, Ministry of Education, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Textile Fiber and Products, Ministry of Education, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, People's Republic of China
| | - Limin Wu
- Department of Materials Science and State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China
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Zhang X, Zhu M, Chen J, Wang Z, Li S, Yang H, Xu H, He G, Deng Z, Gu S, Liu X, Shang B. Magnetically driven Janus conical vertical array for all-weather freshwater collection. MATERIALS HORIZONS 2024; 11:1779-1786. [PMID: 38314856 DOI: 10.1039/d3mh02083e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
The engineering of multifunctional structures with special surface wettability is highly desirable for all-weather freshwater production, but relevant research is scarce. In this study, a Janus conical vertical array was designed and fabricated via a magnetically driven spray-coating method for the first time. Benefiting from the special structure and wettability enhancement of the array in terms of solar absorption, fog capture and merging, droplet movement and evaporation area, all-weather freshwater production consisting of high-quality daytime solar vapor generation (water evaporation rate approximately 2.43 kg m-2 h-1, 1 kW m-2) and nighttime fog collection (water collection rate approximately 3.536 g cm-2 h-1) can be realized concurrently. When the designed array is employed for outdoor environments (114°35'E, 30°38'N, average daily temperature 34.9 °C, average daily humidity 64.0%), reliable and efficient daily pure water yields of 19.13 kg m-2-26.09 kg m-2 are obtainable. We believe that the proposed strategy for fabricating a Janus conical vertical array is novel in the integration of solar vapor generation and fog collection, which has great significance for all-weather freshwater production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, 430200, P. R. China.
| | - Mengyao Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, 430200, P. R. China.
| | - Junhao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, 430200, P. R. China.
| | - Zongwei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, 430200, P. R. China.
| | - Sanchuan Li
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, 430200, P. R. China.
| | - Huiyu Yang
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan 432000, China.
| | - Hongman Xu
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, 430200, P. R. China.
| | - Guang He
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, 430200, P. R. China.
| | - Ziwei Deng
- Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Advanced Energy Devices, Shaanxi Engineering Lab for Advanced Energy Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, P. R. China.
| | - Shaojin Gu
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, 430200, P. R. China.
| | - Xin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, 430200, P. R. China.
| | - Bin Shang
- State Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, 430200, P. R. China.
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10
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Dai J, Xia X, Zhang D, He S, Wan D, Chen F, Zi Y. High-performance self-desalination powered by triboelectric-electromagnetic hybrid nanogenerator. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 252:121185. [PMID: 38295459 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Freshwater is an essential resource in today's world, and how to produce freshwater with low or even zero power consumption is a major challenge. Here, a desalination system powered by a triboelectric-electromagnetic hybrid nanogenerator (TEHG) is presented, which can utilize the water's own energy to remove the salt ions from itself, demonstrating a new concept of "self-desalination". At a relatively low rotation speed of 150 rpm, the system can dilute NaCl brine from 4000 ppm to 145 ppm with a high salt removal rate of 147.1 μg cm-2 min-1 and a freshwater productivity of up to 31.1 L m-2 h-1. The actual seawater can also be treated with a total ion removal efficiency of 99.6 % and a freshwater productivity of 2.7 L m-2 h-1, which is superior to other renewable-energy-powered desalination systems. More importantly, fully self-powered desalination process can be realized by manual cranking and hydrokinetic energy impact, both of which are capable of treating 1000 ppm salt feed to the drinking water level. The TEHG-powered desalination system not only provides excellent desalination performance but also addresses the challenges of power consumption and limited capacity, which offers a completely new paradigm of "self-desalination".
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhong Dai
- Thrust of Sustainable Energy and Environment, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Nansha, Guangzhou, Guangdong 511400, China
| | - Xin Xia
- Thrust of Sustainable Energy and Environment, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Nansha, Guangzhou, Guangdong 511400, China
| | - Dian Zhang
- School of Electronics and Information Engineering, South China Normal University, Foshan 528225, China
| | - Shaoshuai He
- Thrust of Sustainable Energy and Environment, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Nansha, Guangzhou, Guangdong 511400, China
| | - Dong Wan
- Thrust of Sustainable Energy and Environment, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Nansha, Guangzhou, Guangdong 511400, China
| | - Fuming Chen
- School of Electronics and Information Engineering, South China Normal University, Foshan 528225, China.
| | - Yunlong Zi
- Thrust of Sustainable Energy and Environment, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Nansha, Guangzhou, Guangdong 511400, China; Guangzhou HKUST Fok Ying Tung Research Institute, Nansha, Guangzhou, Guangdong 511400, China; HKUST Shenzhen-Hong Kong Collaborative Innovation Research Institute, Futian, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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11
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Liang Q, Zhang D, He T, Zhang Z, Wang H, Chen S, Lee C. Fiber-Based Noncontact Sensor with Stretchability for Underwater Wearable Sensing and VR Applications. ACS NANO 2024; 18:600-611. [PMID: 38126347 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c08739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The rapid development of artificial intelligent wearable devices has led to an increasing need for seamless information exchange between humans, machines, and virtual spaces, often relying on touch sensors as the primary interaction medium. Additionally, the demand for underwater detection technologies is on the rise owing to the prevalent wet and submerged environment. Here, a fiber-based capacitive sensor with superior stretchability and hydrophobicity is proposed, designed to cater to noncontact and underwater applications. The sensor is constructed using bacterial cellulose (BC)@BC/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) (BBT) helical fiber as the matrix and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) as the hydrophobic modified agent, forming a hydrophobic silylated BC@BC/CNT (SBBT) helical fiber by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique. These fibers exhibit an impressive contact angle of 132.8°. The SBBT helicalfiber-based capacitive sensor presents capabilities for both noncontact and underwater sensing, which exhibits a significant capacitance change of -0.27 (at a distance of 0.5 cm). We have achieved interactive control between real space and virtual space through intelligent data analysis technology with minimal interference from the presence of water. This work has laid a solid foundation of noncontact sensing with attributes such as degradability, stretchability, and hydrophobicity. Moreover, it offers promising solutions for barrier-free communication in virtual reality (VR) and underwater applications, providing avenues for smart human-machine interfaces for submerged use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Liang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore
| | - Dong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
| | - Tianyiyi He
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore
| | - Zixuan Zhang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore
| | - Huaping Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
| | - Shiyan Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, PR China
| | - Chengkuo Lee
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore
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12
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Liu H, Wu F, Liu XY, Yu J, Liu YT, Ding B. Multiscale Synergetic Bandgap/Structure Engineering in Semiconductor Nanofibrous Aerogels for Enhanced Solar Evaporation. NANO LETTERS 2023; 23:11907-11915. [PMID: 38095425 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c04059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Solar-driven interface evaporation has been identified as a sustainable seawater desalination and water purification technology. Nonetheless, the evaporation performance is still restricted by salt deposition and heat loss owing to weak solar spectrum absorption, tortuous channels, and limited plane area of conventional photothermal material. Herein, the semiconductor nanofibrous aerogels with a narrow bandgap, vertically aligned channels, and a conical architecture are constructed by the multiscale synergetic engineering strategy, encompassing bandgap engineering at the atomic scale and structure engineering at the nano-micro scale. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, a Co-doped MoS2 nanofibrous aerogel is synthesized, which exhibits the entire solar absorption, superhydrophilic, and excellent thermal insulation, achieving a net evaporation rate of 1.62 kg m-2 h-1 under 1 sun irradiation, as well as a synergistically efficient dye ion adsorption function. This work opens up new possibilities for the development of solar evaporators for practical applications in clean water production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hualei Liu
- Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Fan Wu
- Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Xiao-Yan Liu
- Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Jianyong Yu
- Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Yi-Tao Liu
- Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
| | - Bin Ding
- Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
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13
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Luo X, Zhou L, Zheng R, Zhang H, Wang B, Mei Y, Chen R. SCG-Based CNF Aerogels with Oriented and Aligned Porous Structure for Solar Interfacial Desalination. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:59973-59980. [PMID: 38100997 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c15926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Spent coffee grounds are recognized as a green and sustainable resource of cellulose nanofiber (CNF), which can further form aerogels with rGO for solar-driven interfacial desalination via directional freezing technology. The vertically arranged channels provide better photothermal conversion performance and salt tolerance of rGO/CNF aerogels. Their max evaporation rate can reach to 2.729 kg·m-2·h-1 under natural sunlight. In terms of long-term application (10 days), the aerogels exhibit a stable evaporation property in outdoor environments. The optimum daily average water yield is 15.00 L·m-2, which can fulfill the daily water requirement of six people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinjie Luo
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, P.R. China
- Yunnan Engineering Technology Research Center for Plastic Films, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, P.R. China
| | - Li Zhou
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, P.R. China
| | - Ruizhi Zheng
- Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, P.R. China
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Saving in Phosphorus Chemical Engineering and New Phosphorus Materials, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, P.R. China
| | - Hongfei Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, P.R. China
- Yunnan Engineering Technology Research Center for Plastic Films, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, P.R. China
| | - Baoling Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, P.R. China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Metal-Organic Molecular Materials and Device, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, P.R. China
| | - Yi Mei
- Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, P.R. China
- Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Saving in Phosphorus Chemical Engineering and New Phosphorus Materials, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, P.R. China
| | - Renjie Chen
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, P.R. China
- Yunnan Engineering Technology Research Center for Plastic Films, Kunming University, Kunming 650214, P.R. China
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14
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Wu M, Shao Z, Zhao N, Zhang R, Yuan G, Tian L, Zhang Z, Gao W, Bai H. Biomimetic, knittable aerogel fiber for thermal insulation textile. Science 2023; 382:1379-1383. [PMID: 38127754 DOI: 10.1126/science.adj8013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Aerogels have been considered as an ideal material for thermal insulation. Unfortunately, their application in textiles is greatly limited by their fragility and poor processability. We overcame these issues by encapsulating the aerogel fiber with a stretchable layer, mimicking the core-shell structure of polar bear hair. Despite its high internal porosity over 90%, our fiber is stretchable up to 1000% strain, which is greatly improved compared with that of traditional aerogel fibers (~2% strain). In addition to its washability and dyeability, our fiber is mechanically robust, retaining its stable thermal insulation property after 10,000 stretching cycles (100% strain). A sweater knitted with our fiber was only one-fifth as thick as down, with similar performance. Our strategy for this fiber provides rich possibilities for developing multifunctional aerogel fibers and textiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingrui Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ziyu Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Nifang Zhao
- Institute of Zhejiang University-Quzhou, Quzhou 324000, China
| | - Rongzhen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Guodong Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Lulu Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zibei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Weiwei Gao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Hao Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Institute of Zhejiang University-Quzhou, Quzhou 324000, China
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15
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Arshad A, Roy A, Mallick TK, Tahir AA. Shape-Stabilized PEGylated Silica Aerogel-Composite as an Energy Saving Building Material. Ind Eng Chem Res 2023; 62:20236-20250. [PMID: 38045733 PMCID: PMC10690784 DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.3c02373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Balancing thermal and visual comfort in buildings necessitates effective insulation to counteract heat loss and gain, especially with temperature variances. One promising approach is to combine phase change materials, such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), with high-performance insulators like silica aerogel (Siag). To bolster opto-thermal performance in building envelopes, we introduce a smart insulation composite material through PEG integration, i.e., PEGalyation with Siag. Central to this thermal behavior is the PEG's phase change properties, which foster a shape-stabilized framework with Siag through their porous confinement. Preliminary observations indicate notable capabilities of obstructing near-infrared light while preserving satisfactory visible transparency. An optimized Siag@PEG composite with 5% loading of PEG has the visible range transmission of ∼92%, a decrease of ∼72% in thermal conductivity which is lower than pure glass and PEG, leading to a temperature dependent switchable hydrophobic to hydrophilic wettability characteristics. As a prototype window, the thermal performance evaluation of the synthesized composite, through experimental and computational studies, shows a decrease in indoor temperature of ∼20% with a higher temperature difference of ∼20 °C between outdoor and indoor weather conditions. This lightweight composite can act as sponge media to fill inside the double-paned window and for retrofitting existing glazing to boost the energy efficiency of buildings with facile manufacturing and scalability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tapas K. Mallick
- Solar Energy Research Group,
Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn
Campus, Cornwall TR10 9FE, U.K.
| | - Asif Ali Tahir
- Solar Energy Research Group,
Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn
Campus, Cornwall TR10 9FE, U.K.
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16
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Ou K, Li J, Hou Y, Qi K, Dai Y, Wang M, Wang B. Hierarchical nanofibrous and recyclable membrane with unidirectional water-transport effect for efficient solar-driven interfacial evaporation. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 656:474-484. [PMID: 38007939 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.11.125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Solar-driven interfacial evaporation technology has attracted significant attention for water purification. However, design and fabrication of solar-driven evaporator with cost-effective, excellent capability and large-scale production remains challenging. In this study, inspired by plant transpiration, a tri-layered hierarchical nanofibrous photothermal membrane (HNPM) with a unidirectional water transport effect was designed and prepared via electrospinning for efficient solar-driven interfacial evaporation. The synergistic effect of the hierarchical hydrophilic-hydrophobic structure and the self-pumping effect endowed the HNPM with unidirectional water transport properties. The HNPM could unidirectionally drive water from the hydrophobic layer to the hydrophilic layer within 2.5 s and prevent reverse water penetration. With this unique property, the HNPM was coupled with a water supply component and thermal insulator to assemble a self-floating evaporator for water desalination. Under 1 sun illumination, the water evaporation rates of the designed evaporator with HNPM in pure water and dyed wastewater reached 1.44 and 1.78 kg·m-2·h-1, respectively. The evaporator could achieve evaporation of 11.04 kg·m-2 in 10 h under outdoor solar conditions. Moreover, the tri-layered HNPM exhibited outstanding flexibility and recyclability. Our bionic hydrophobic-to-hydrophilic structure endowed the solar-driven evaporator with capillary wicking and transpiration effects, which provides a rational design and optimization for efficient solar-driven applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangkang Ou
- School of Textiles and Fashion, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai 201620, PR China; Research Institute of Textile and Clothing Industries, Zhongyuan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450007, PR China
| | - Jingbo Li
- Research Institute of Textile and Clothing Industries, Zhongyuan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450007, PR China
| | - Yijun Hou
- Research Institute of Textile and Clothing Industries, Zhongyuan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450007, PR China
| | - Kun Qi
- Research Institute of Textile and Clothing Industries, Zhongyuan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450007, PR China.
| | - Yunling Dai
- Research Institute of Textile and Clothing Industries, Zhongyuan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450007, PR China
| | - Mengting Wang
- Research Institute of Textile and Clothing Industries, Zhongyuan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450007, PR China
| | - Baoxiu Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai 201620, PR China.
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17
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He N, Wang H, Zhang H, Jiang B, Tang D, Li L. Ionization Engineering of Hydrogels Enables Highly Efficient Salt-Impeded Solar Evaporation and Night-Time Electricity Harvesting. NANO-MICRO LETTERS 2023; 16:8. [PMID: 37932502 PMCID: PMC10628017 DOI: 10.1007/s40820-023-01215-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Interfacial solar evaporation holds immense potential for brine desalination with low carbon footprints and high energy utilization. Hydrogels, as a tunable material platform from the molecular level to the macroscopic scale, have been considered the most promising candidate for solar evaporation. However, the simultaneous achievement of high evaporation efficiency and satisfactory tolerance to salt ions in brine remains a challenging scientific bottleneck, restricting the widespread application. Herein, we report ionization engineering, which endows polymer chains of hydrogels with electronegativity for impeding salt ions and activating water molecules, fundamentally overcoming the hydrogel salt-impeded challenge and dramatically expediting water evaporating in brine. The sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate-modified carbon black is chosen as the solar absorbers. The hydrogel reaches a ground-breaking evaporation rate of 2.9 kg m-2 h-1 in 20 wt% brine with 95.6% efficiency under one sun irradiation, surpassing most of the reported literature. More notably, such a hydrogel-based evaporator enables extracting clean water from oversaturated salt solutions and maintains durability under different high-strength deformation or a 15-day continuous operation. Meantime, on the basis of the cation selectivity induced by the electronegativity, we first propose an all-day system that evaporates during the day and generates salinity-gradient electricity using waste-evaporated brine at night, anticipating pioneer a new opportunity for all-day resource-generating systems in fields of freshwater and electricity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan He
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, People's Republic of China
| | - Haonan Wang
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, People's Republic of China
| | - Haotian Zhang
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, People's Republic of China
| | - Bo Jiang
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, People's Republic of China
| | - Dawei Tang
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Li
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, People's Republic of China.
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18
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Yu Z, Su Y, Gu R, Wu W, Li Y, Cheng S. Micro-Nano Water Film Enabled High-Performance Interfacial Solar Evaporation. NANO-MICRO LETTERS 2023; 15:214. [PMID: 37737504 PMCID: PMC10516847 DOI: 10.1007/s40820-023-01191-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Interfacial solar evaporation holds great promise to address the freshwater shortage. However, most interfacial solar evaporators are always filled with water throughout the evaporation process, thus bringing unavoidable heat loss. Herein, we propose a novel interfacial evaporation structure based on the micro-nano water film, which demonstrates significantly improved evaporation performance, as experimentally verified by polypyrrole- and polydopamine-coated polydimethylsiloxane sponge. The 2D evaporator based on the as-prepared sponge realizes an enhanced evaporation rate of 2.18 kg m-2 h-1 under 1 sun by fine-tuning the interfacial micro-nano water film. Then, a homemade device with an enhanced condensation function is engineered for outdoor clean water production. Throughout a continuous test for 40 days, this device demonstrates a high water production rate (WPR) of 15.9-19.4 kg kW-1 h-1 m-2. Based on the outdoor outcomes, we further establish a multi-objective model to assess the global WPR. It is predicted that a 1 m2 device can produce at most 7.8 kg of clean water per day, which could meet the daily drinking water needs of 3 people. Finally, this technology could greatly alleviate the current water and energy crisis through further large-scale applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, College of Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuqing Su
- State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, College of Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruonan Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, College of Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, College of Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, People's Republic of China
| | - Yangxi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, College of Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, People's Republic of China
| | - Shaoan Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, College of Energy Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, People's Republic of China.
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