Issue 22, 2024

A bioinspired hydrogel with tailored nano-topography and desired mechanical performance for highly efficient solar-driven water purification

Abstract

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation has emerged as a sustainable and innovative technology for efficient, clean water production. Despite the tremendous progress made to date, to achieve materials with excellent mechanical performances, efficient energy utilization, and high salt-resistance, high cost and delicate nanostructures pose challenges. Here, a composite hydrogel with rationally architected skeletons is constructed through facilely combining salting-out treatment and an in situ polymerization strategy. Benefiting from the unique pore structure, coral-like wrinkle surface micro-/nano-topologies, and well-interpenetrative channels, the constructed hydrogel exhibits an outstanding mechanical tensile strength of ∼1.41 MPa, an ultrahigh evaporation rate of 2.62 kg m−2 h−1 and a solar-to-vapor efficiency of 93.78% under 1 sun irradiation. This work demonstrates a new hydrogel evaporator structure and also provides a perspective for the structural design of next-generation good mechanical performance, durable, salt-tolerant and high-efficiency interfacial steam generators.

Graphical abstract: A bioinspired hydrogel with tailored nano-topography and desired mechanical performance for highly efficient solar-driven water purification

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
26 Apr 2024
Accepted
01 May 2024
First published
13 May 2024

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024,12, 13520-13531

A bioinspired hydrogel with tailored nano-topography and desired mechanical performance for highly efficient solar-driven water purification

W. Ma, W. Cao, M. Cui, Q. Fan, R. Xiong and C. Huang, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2024, 12, 13520 DOI: 10.1039/D4TA02883J

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