Interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG)-based solar
desalination
has recently emerged as a promising solution to tackle the global
issue of fresh water scarcity. However, the energy-intensive process
of conventional vapor generation techniques limits its practical applications.
Hydrogels with three-dimensional (3D) structures have been reported
to alleviate this energy demand, but their applications in sustainable
solar desalination are hindered by their poor mechanical stability.
Herein, we propose a 3D poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-based hydrogel with
excellent mechanical strength for effective solar desalination. The
dual polymer network hydrogel (PVA–agar) incorporated with
multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) achieved a noticeable evaporation
rate of 3.1 kg m–2 h–1 under 1
sun irradiation, owing to its broadband light absorption, intrinsic
water channels, and microporous structure that help reduce the latent
heat of vaporization. More importantly, the application of kosmotropic
ammonium sulfate ions was found to greatly improve the mechanical
strength of the hydrogels using a facile Hofmeister-assisted soaking
method. Finally, the PVA–agar–MWCNT hydrogel was able
to desalinate seawater efficiently (2.5 kg m–2 h–1) with self-cleaning capability of salt crystals.
The salinity level of the desalinated water was also comparable to
drinking clean water. The present results would pave the way for fabricating
mechanically strong, hydrophilic, and highly efficient hydrogels for
effective and sustainable solar desalination.