Molecular-assembly route to fabricate a robust flexible hydrogel membrane for high-efficient and durable solar water purification

Abstract

Freshwater scarcity is threatening the health and life of people. As a portable water purification route, solar-driven water evaporation has attracted great attention. Although diverse light absorber materials were achieved for interfacial water evaporation, it is still desired to design robust and high-efficient photothermal materials. Herein, we employed a molecular assembly method to accomplish a PVA/PEDOT: PSS composite hydrogel (PPPH) into a carbonized melamine foam (CF) for the fabrication of PPPH-CF membrane, which is flexible, stretchable, and reusable for solar water evaporation. The water evaporation rate can reach 2.06 kg m−2h−1 with an amazing photothermal conversion efficiency of 96.9% under one sun. The as-prepared PPPH-CF membrane was also utilized for water purification, which exhibits an outstanding rejection ratio of salts, heavy metals, dyes, and bacteria. This facile, low-cost, and high-efficient water purification procedure can be envisioned for the large-scale and one-step water treatment with renewable solar energy, meeting people’s freshwater demands.