PBAT/MXene monolithic solar vapor generator with high efficiency on seawater evaporation and swage purification

Abstract

Solar vapor generator (SVG) is undoubtedly a sustainable water treatment technology and good candidate to resolve the water shortage. However, the non-degradable polymer based SVG will bring extra environmental risk when they are scrapped. Herein, we fabricate a degradable interfacial solar vapor generator (DISVG) using PBAT monolith with hierarchical porous morphology via in-situ polymerization of PDA and dip-coating of MXene. Contributed to the MXene and PDA's synergetic effects, the DISVG demonstrates promising solar absorbance (up to 97.07 %), superhydrophilicity, and high evaporation efficiency. Consequently, the DISVG exhibit a high evaporation rate of 1.87 kg m−2 h−1 with a solar steam efficiency of 86.19 % under 1 sun irradiation. The DISVG shows excellent salt and oil resistance because of its good hydrophilicity. Moreover, the DISVG possesses excellent purification capability that can reject above 99 % ions in seawater and dyes in sewage. This research demonstrates a sustainable strategy for the fabrication of DISVG with environmentally friendly, highly efficient and well reliable solar vapor generators for seawater desalination and sewage purification.