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Gao Z, Li L, Li F, Miao G, Miao X, Song Y, Xu L, Hou Z, Ren G, Zhu X. Versatile GO/ANFs Aerogel for Highly Efficient Solar-Powered Water Purification in Wide Environments. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:12504-12511. [PMID: 38836627 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c00929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Solar-driven interfacial evaporation is a very promising choice for producing clean water. Despite the considerable investigation of pure NaCl brine purification, solar-driven complex water purification, such as real-world seawater desalination as well as domestic and industrial wastewater treatment, has rarely been investigated, mainly due to its compositions being much more complicated than NaCl brine. Herein, we developed a graphene oxide/aramid nanofiber (GO/ANFs) aerogel by a freeze-drying process. The GO/ANFs aerogel combined opened porous microchannels, superhydrophilicity, anti-oil-fouling capacity, enhanced broad-spectrum light absorption (more than 92%), and good solar/heat management. These integrated properties enabled the GO/ANFs aerogel to be an advanced solar interfacial evaporator for efficient freshwater production with the characteristics of localized heat conversion, quick water transport, and salt crystallization inhibition, and the rate of steam production rate was as high as 2.25 kg m-2 h-1 upon exposure to 1 solar irradiation. Importantly, the high-water-vapor generation rate was maintained even under complicated conditions, including real-world seawater, dye water, emulsions, and corrosive liquid environments. Considering its promising adaptability to a wide range of environments, this work hopes to inspire the development of brine desalination, wastewater purification, clean water production, and solar energy utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongshuai Gao
- School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264405, China
| | - Linfan Li
- School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264405, China
| | - Fangchao Li
- School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264405, China
| | - Gan Miao
- School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264405, China
| | - Xiao Miao
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Optical Communication Science and Technology, School of Physics Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252000, China
| | - Yuanming Song
- School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264405, China
| | - Lide Xu
- School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264405, China
| | - Zhiqiang Hou
- School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264405, China
| | - Guina Ren
- School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264405, China
| | - Xiaotao Zhu
- School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai 264405, China
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Hu C, Liu J, Li C, Zhao M, Wu J, Yu ZZ, Li X. Anisotropic MXene/Poly(vinyl alcohol) Composite Hydrogels with Vertically Oriented Channels and Modulated Surface Topography for Efficient Solar-Driven Water Evaporation and Purification. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024. [PMID: 38438118 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c18661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Hierarchical structure and surface topography play pivotal roles in developing high-performance solar-driven evaporators for clean water production; however, there exists a notable gap in research addressing simultaneous modulation of internal microstructure and surface topography in hydrogels to enhance both solar steam generation performance and desalination efficiency. Herein, anisotropic poly(vinyl alcohol)/MXene composite hydrogels for efficient solar-driven water evaporation and wastewater purification are fabricated using a template-assisted directional freezing approach followed by precise surface wettability modulation. The resultant composite hydrogels exhibit vertically oriented channels that ensure fast water supply during evaporation, and their poly(vinyl alcohol) skeletons can reduce the vaporization enthalpy of the water in the hydrogels. The incorporation of MXene sheets enables efficient solar light absorption and solar-thermal conversion while providing structural reinforcement to the hydrogels. More importantly, the as-created undulating solar-thermal surface, featuring modulated hydrophilic troughs and hydrophobic crests, significantly enhances solar-thermal conversion efficiency, thereby boosting solar evaporation performances. As a result, the fabricated hydrogel-based evaporator exhibits an impressive evaporation rate of 2.55 kg m-2 h-1 under 1 sun irradiation, coupled with long-term durability and desalination stability. Notably, the outstanding mechanical robustness of the hydrogel further enables high portability through a readily achievable process of reversible dehydration/hydration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Ji Liu
- School of Chemistry, CRANN and AMBER, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Changjun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Mang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Zhong-Zhen Yu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Xiaofeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China
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Li M, Bai W, Yang Y, Zhang X, Wu H, Li Y, Xu Y. Waste Tea-Derived Theabrownins for Solar-Driven Steam Generation. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:10158-10169. [PMID: 38354064 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c18438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Solar-driven seawater desalination has been considered an effective and sustainable solution to mitigate the global freshwater crisis. However, the substantial cost associated with photothermal materials for evaporator fabrication still hinders large-scale manufacturing for practical applications. Herein, we successfully obtained high yields of theabrownins (TB), which were oxidation polymerization products of polyphenols from waste and inferior tea leaves using a liquid-state fermentation strategy. Subsequently, a series of photothermal complexes were prepared based on the metal-phenolic networks assembled from TB and metal ions (Fe(III), Cu(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II)). Also, the screened TB@Fe(III) complexes were directly coated on a hydrophilic poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membrane to construct the solar evaporation device (TB@Fe(III)@PVDF), which not only demonstrated superior light absorption property and notable hydrophilicity but also achieved a high water evaporation rate of 1.59 kg m-2 h-1 and a steam generation efficiency of 90% under 1 sun irradiation. More importantly, its long-term stability and exceptionally low production cost enabled an important step toward the possibility of large-scale practical applications. We believe that this study holds the potential to pave the way for the development of sustainable and cost-effective photothermal materials, offering new avenues for utilization of agriculture resource waste and solar-driven water remediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maoyun Li
- Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Wanjie Bai
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yiyan Yang
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xueqian Zhang
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Haoxing Wu
- Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yiwen Li
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yuanting Xu
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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Lian M, Ding W, Liu S, Wang Y, Zhu T, Miao YE, Zhang C, Liu T. Highly Porous Yet Transparent Mechanically Flexible Aerogels Realizing Solar-Thermal Regulatory Cooling. NANO-MICRO LETTERS 2024; 16:131. [PMID: 38409640 PMCID: PMC10897091 DOI: 10.1007/s40820-024-01356-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
The demand for highly porous yet transparent aerogels with mechanical flexibility and solar-thermal dual-regulation for energy-saving windows is significant but challenging. Herein, a delaminated aerogel film (DAF) is fabricated through filtration-induced delaminated gelation and ambient drying. The delaminated gelation process involves the assembly of fluorinated cellulose nanofiber (FCNF) at the solid-liquid interface between the filter and the filtrate during filtration, resulting in the formation of lamellar FCNF hydrogels with strong intra-plane and weak interlayer hydrogen bonding. By exchanging the solvents from water to hexane, the hydrogen bonding in the FCNF hydrogel is further enhanced, enabling the formation of the DAF with intra-layer mesopores upon ambient drying. The resulting aerogel film is lightweight and ultra-flexible, which possesses desirable properties of high visible-light transmittance (91.0%), low thermal conductivity (33 mW m-1 K-1), and high atmospheric-window emissivity (90.1%). Furthermore, the DAF exhibits reduced surface energy and exceptional hydrophobicity due to the presence of fluorine-containing groups, enhancing its durability and UV resistance. Consequently, the DAF has demonstrated its potential as solar-thermal regulatory cooling window materials capable of simultaneously providing indoor lighting, thermal insulation, and daytime radiative cooling under direct sunlight. Significantly, the enclosed space protected by the DAF exhibits a temperature reduction of 2.6 °C compared to that shielded by conventional architectural glass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Lian
- 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
| | - Wei Ding
- 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
| | - Song Liu
- 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
| | - Yufeng Wang
- 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
| | - Tianyi 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
| | - Yue-E Miao
- 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
| | - Chao 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.
| | - Tianxi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Biological Colloids, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, People's Republic of China.
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Ashrafi-Peyman Z, Jafargholi A, Moshfegh AZ. An elliptical nanoantenna array plasmonic metasurface for efficient solar energy harvesting. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:3591-3605. [PMID: 38270171 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr05657k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Plasmonic metasurfaces with subwavelength nanoantenna arrays have attracted much attention for their ability to control and manage optical properties. Solar absorbers are potential candidates for effectively converting photons into heat and electricity. This study introduces a novel ultrathin metasurface solar absorber employing elliptical-shaped nanoantenna arrays. We theoretically and numerically demonstrate a near-perfect broadband absorber with over 90% absorption efficiency in a wide range of wavelengths of 300-2500 nm, using finite element (FEM) and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) methods. The proposed nanostructure configuration enhances light absorption by exciting localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) between elliptical-shaped nanoantenna gaps at many wavelengths, maintaining stability at wide incident angles and insensitivity to light polarization. Compared to other state-of-the-art absorbers with a thickness of less than 300 nm, the designed nanostructure with 260 nm thickness achieves over 90% optical absorption across a broad range of wavelengths of 300-1116 nm in air (or vacuum) environments and performs effectively under water conditions for solar energy harvesting in a range of wavelengths of 300-1436 nm, and therefore can serve as a solar evaporator. Combining refractory plasmonic titanium nitride (TiN) and semiconductor gallium nitride (GaN) nanostructures holds great potential for efficient optoelectronic and photocatalytic applications, especially in harsh and high-temperature environments like thermophotovoltaic systems. The TiN-based metasurface absorber, with its ultrathin nanostructure and suitable spectral absorption in ultraviolet-visible-infrared spectra, offers scalability and cost-effectiveness. The findings in this work will deepen our understanding of LSPRs and pave a novel path for efficient solar energy conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Ashrafi-Peyman
- Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 11555-9161, Iran.
| | - Amir Jafargholi
- Laboratory of Wave Engineering, School of Electrical Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Energy Engineering and Physics, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran 15875-4413, Iran
| | - Alireza Z Moshfegh
- Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 11555-9161, Iran.
- Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Institute for Convergence Science & Technology (ICST), Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 11365-8639, Iran
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Xu Z, Yang Y, Yao W, Ye C, Qiao H, Shen J, Ye M. Plant Transpiration-Inspired Biomass-Based Device with Underwater Oleophobicity for Efficient General-Purpose Solar-Driven Oily Wastewater Purification. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:48336-48345. [PMID: 37793188 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c12333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
The remediation of wastewater containing oily pollutants is imperative to mitigate the serious threats posed to the safety of fresh water, human well-being, and the environment. Current membrane separation technologies are severely restricted by their limitations for separating various types of oily pollutants with low sustainability. Herein, by imitating the plant transpiration in nature, we designed a solar-driven device composed of natural biomass sugar cane stem, chitosan/carboxymethyl cellulose, and graphite powders to separate versatile oily pollutants from the wastewater. Owing to its superior solar absorption capacity, microchannels for water transportation, and underwater oleophobicity, the resultant evaporator not only exhibited an excellent evaporation rate of 1.41 kg m-2 h-1 but also demonstrated an admirable purification efficiency of 99.9% for oily wastewater. Moreover, the device can maintain a stable evaporation rate and the original structure even in oily wastewater containing strong acid, alkali, or hypersaline components. Therefore, this work provides an effective approach to producing clean water from versatile wastewater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenglong Xu
- Institute of Special Materials and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China
- Department of Materials Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China
| | - Yifan Yang
- Institute of Special Materials and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China
- Department of Materials Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China
| | - Wei Yao
- Institute of Special Materials and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China
- Department of Materials Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China
| | - Chuming Ye
- Institute of Special Materials and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China
- Department of Materials Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China
| | - Haohui Qiao
- Institute of Special Materials and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China
- Department of Materials Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China
| | - Jianfeng Shen
- Institute of Special Materials and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China
| | - Mingxin Ye
- Institute of Special Materials and Technology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, P.R. China
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Zhao M, Hu C, Liu J, Han MY, Pan RJ, Yu ZZ, Li X. Three-Dimensional Spiral Evaporator with Side Channels for Efficient Solar-Driven Water Purification. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:48196-48206. [PMID: 37801710 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c10235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Solar evaporators have the advantages of not consuming fossil fuels, being environmentally friendly, and nonpolluting, offering a promising sustainable method to obtain fresh water and alleviate the worldwide freshwater shortage crisis. In this work, we report that high-performance solar evaporators can be facilely fabricated by processing a cost-effective polypyrrole (PPy)-coated nonwoven fabric (PCNF) into a three-dimensional (3D) spiral structure and introducing side channels for vapor escape. The coated PPy layer ensures excellent photothermal properties and the chemical stability of the evaporator. Meanwhile, the as-created spiral structure of the evaporator can significantly increase the effective evaporation area and harvest energy from the environment, greatly stimulating the evaporation. The side opening channels can effectively facilitate the escape of vapor generated inside the 3D spiral structure, avoid the internal vapor accumulation, and ultimately promote the evaporation of the inner surface, leading to a boost of the evaporation performance. Combining these features, the resulting evaporator exhibits an ultrahigh evaporation rate of 3.26 kg m-2 h-1 and an energy efficiency of 138% under 1-sun irradiation. More importantly, we show that this evaporator can also be used to collect fresh water from soil and sand, demonstrating its great applicability for obtaining potable water in arid areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mang Zhao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Chen Hu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Ji Liu
- School of Chemistry, CRANN and AMBER, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin D02 PN40, Ireland
| | - Meng-Yan Han
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui-Jie Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhong-Zhen Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaofeng Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Composites, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, People's Republic of China
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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: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [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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Xu X, Zhao Q, Liu Q, Qiu J, Yuan S, Wu Z, Yang R, Cao J, Wang L, Xu J, Lu B. A Bilayered Wood-Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):Polystyrene Sulfonate Hydrogel Interfacial Evaporator for Sustainable Solar-Driven Sewage Purification and Desalination. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:2321. [PMID: 37630904 PMCID: PMC10457931 DOI: 10.3390/nano13162321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Solar-driven interfacial evaporation and purification is a promising solar energy conversion technology to produce clean water or solve water scarcity. Although wood-based photothermal materials have attracted particular interest in solar water purification and desalination due to their rapid water supply and great heat localization, challenges exist given their complicated processing methods and relatively poor stability. Herein, we propose a facile approach for fabricating a bilayered wood-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (wood-PEDOT:PSS) hydrogel interfacial evaporator by direct drop-casting and dry-annealing. Benefiting from the unique combined merits of the wood-PEDOT:PSS hydrogel evaporator, i.e., excellent light absorption (~99.9%) and efficient photothermal conversion of nanofibrous PEDOT:PSS and the strong hydrophilicity and fast water transport from wood, the as-fabricated bilayered wood-PEDOT:PSS hydrogel evaporator demonstrates a remarkably high evaporation rate (~1.47 kg m-2 h-1) and high energy efficiency (~75.76%) at 1 kW m-2. We further demonstrate the practical applications of such an evaporator for sewage purification and desalination, showing outstanding performance stability and partial salt barrier capability against a continuous 10-day test in simulated seawater and an ultrahigh ion removal rate of 99.9% for metal ion-containing sewage. The design and fabrication of such novel, efficient wood-based interfacial evaporators pave the way for large-scale applications in solar water purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinye Xu
- Jiangxi Key Lab of Flexible Electronics, Flexible Electronics Innovation Institute, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China; (X.X.); (Q.Z.); (Q.L.); (J.Q.); (Z.W.); (J.C.); (L.W.)
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China; (S.Y.); (R.Y.)
| | - Qi Zhao
- Jiangxi Key Lab of Flexible Electronics, Flexible Electronics Innovation Institute, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China; (X.X.); (Q.Z.); (Q.L.); (J.Q.); (Z.W.); (J.C.); (L.W.)
- Electronic Materials Research Laboratory, Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education, International Center for Dielectric Research, Shaanxi Engineering Research Center of Advanced Energy Materials and Devices, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
| | - Qi Liu
- Jiangxi Key Lab of Flexible Electronics, Flexible Electronics Innovation Institute, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China; (X.X.); (Q.Z.); (Q.L.); (J.Q.); (Z.W.); (J.C.); (L.W.)
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China; (S.Y.); (R.Y.)
| | - Junxiao Qiu
- Jiangxi Key Lab of Flexible Electronics, Flexible Electronics Innovation Institute, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China; (X.X.); (Q.Z.); (Q.L.); (J.Q.); (Z.W.); (J.C.); (L.W.)
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China; (S.Y.); (R.Y.)
| | - Shutong Yuan
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China; (S.Y.); (R.Y.)
| | - Zhixin Wu
- Jiangxi Key Lab of Flexible Electronics, Flexible Electronics Innovation Institute, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China; (X.X.); (Q.Z.); (Q.L.); (J.Q.); (Z.W.); (J.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Ruping Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China; (S.Y.); (R.Y.)
| | - Jie Cao
- Jiangxi Key Lab of Flexible Electronics, Flexible Electronics Innovation Institute, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China; (X.X.); (Q.Z.); (Q.L.); (J.Q.); (Z.W.); (J.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Lina Wang
- Jiangxi Key Lab of Flexible Electronics, Flexible Electronics Innovation Institute, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China; (X.X.); (Q.Z.); (Q.L.); (J.Q.); (Z.W.); (J.C.); (L.W.)
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China; (S.Y.); (R.Y.)
| | - Jingkun Xu
- Jiangxi Key Lab of Flexible Electronics, Flexible Electronics Innovation Institute, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China; (X.X.); (Q.Z.); (Q.L.); (J.Q.); (Z.W.); (J.C.); (L.W.)
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266042, China
| | - Baoyang Lu
- Jiangxi Key Lab of Flexible Electronics, Flexible Electronics Innovation Institute, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China; (X.X.); (Q.Z.); (Q.L.); (J.Q.); (Z.W.); (J.C.); (L.W.)
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang 330013, China; (S.Y.); (R.Y.)
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