Issue 8, 2024

Scalable and eco-friendly fabrication of anti-oil-fouling solar interfacial evaporator for efficient water purification

Abstract

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SIE) is a promising avenue for clean water production, but its widespread application is hindered by challenges such as surface water contamination and the corrosive nature of oily wastewater. In this study, we introduce a novel approach to mitigate these issues by developing a cotton fabric coated with carbon black nanoparticles and calcium alginate hydrogel (CCCF). This coating imparts the fabric with remarkable properties, including strong light absorption, superhydrophilicity, and underwater superoleophobicity. These characteristics enable the CCCF-based evaporator to achieve an impressive water evaporation rate of 1.44 kg m−2 h−1 under one sun, even in the presence of various oil contaminants. Furthermore, the CCCF exhibits outstanding reusability and stability under harsh environmental conditions, including exposure to acidic, alkaline, and saline environments, as well as elevated temperature. These findings highlight the potential of CCCF as a practical and scalable solution for fabricating SIE systems with enhanced efficiency and durability. Our research represents a significant step forward in the development of sustainable water production technologies for diverse environmental conditions.

Graphical abstract: Scalable and eco-friendly fabrication of anti-oil-fouling solar interfacial evaporator for efficient water purification

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
21 Apr 2024
Accepted
20 Jun 2024
First published
20 Jun 2024

Environ. Sci.: Nano, 2024,11, 3430-3439

Scalable and eco-friendly fabrication of anti-oil-fouling solar interfacial evaporator for efficient water purification

J. Wang, Y. Xu, Y. Guo and J. Wang, Environ. Sci.: Nano, 2024, 11, 3430 DOI: 10.1039/D4EN00346B

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements