Janus-structured evaporator with multiple optimization strategies for sustainable solar desalination

Abstract

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SIE) is an environmentally-friendly and sustainable approach to seawater desalination and offers a promising solution for addressing water scarcity challenge. However, the intricate nature of SIE technology as a complex three-phase system calls for more holistic design strategies. Therefore, we present a comprehensive optimization strategy that integrates various design concepts spanning from optical characteristics and thermal localization enhancement to thermal convection intensification. The enhancement of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect is initially demonstrated by uniformly introducing TiN-NH2 nanoparticles onto the SWCNTs-COOH surface, showcasing remarkable absorbance properties (95.49%). Subsequently, the integration of a dual-network hydrogel is utilized to create a Janus architecture, which can enhance the thermal localization effect with an impressive evaporative efficiency of 92.25%. Finally, perforations are introduced to further improve heat convection, resulting in an exceptional evaporation rate of TiN@CNT/GOF-H1 (3.33 kg m−2 h−1, when calculated according to the real area, the evaporation rate value is 3.75 kg m−2 h−1). Both experimental findings and numerical simulations underscores the efficacy of this multiple-optimization engineered design. Experiment conducted within a customized device has substantiated the enduring cyclic stability and pH resistance to variations, potentially facilitating the spread of practical applications. The integration of multiple optimization strategies is expected to provide valuable insights for the holistic performance enhancement of the SIE evaporators.