Cormorant-inspired macro-porous hydrogel thin film evaporators for boosting cost-effective solar water purification

Abstract

Getting distilled water through solar energy is a green and sustainable way to purify water. The reduction of the evaporation enthalpy by hydrogels greatly improves the efficiency of water purification....

Biopolymer Hydrogel-Based Salt-Resistant Evaporator for Solar-Energy-Driven Desalination and Water Purification

“…52,53 Previous studies have shown that a hydrogel-based evaporator can reduce the enthalpy of water evaporation and facilitate water evaporation. 43,48 Water molecules that interact with the polymer chains could form three types of water state: bound water (BW), intermediate water (IW), and free water (FW) (Figure S8 of the Supporting Information). BW does not participate in the evaporation process because of its strong interaction with the polymer chain.…”

“…39 The main chain of the polymer with different hydrophilic groups could interact with water molecules, which is believed to be able to form weaker interactions and facilitate the evaporation behavior, reducing the enthalpy of evaporation and improving the efficiency of evaporation. 43 In this work, an eco-friendly 3D hydrogel-based evaporator was fabricated using the method of dipping− drying−cross-linking, which integrates carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the sodium alginate (SA)/carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) hydrogel network encapsulated in a MS skeleton. SA and CMCS are natural polysaccharides derived from algae with abundant hydrophilic groups in the main chain.…”

“…It is well-known that hydrogels are 3D cross-linked networks of hydrophilic polymers that can capture and retain a significant amount of water molecules through electrostatic forces or hydrogen bonds . The main chain of the polymer with different hydrophilic groups could interact with water molecules, which is believed to be able to form weaker interactions and facilitate the evaporation behavior, reducing the enthalpy of evaporation and improving the efficiency of evaporation . In this work, an eco-friendly 3D hydrogel-based evaporator was fabricated using the method of dipping–drying–cross-linking, which integrates carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the sodium alginate (SA)/carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) hydrogel network encapsulated in a MS skeleton.…”