Superhydrophobic photothermal evaporator based on MoS2 nanoflowers for efficient solar desalination

Abstract

Solar desalination is a promising solution to address global water scarcity. In this study, a novel superhydrophobic photothermal evaporator based on MoS2 nanoflowers, known for their excellent photothermal conversion properties, was developed. The evaporator is coated with 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-Perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (PFDTES) to create superhydrophobic structures, which are then loaded onto a macroporous non-woven fabric (NWF) to facilitate efficient steam release. The hydrophobic PFDTES coating effectively prevents salt crystallization, ensuring long-term desalination. The developed device demonstrates an exceptional solar steam generation performance of 1.52 kg m−2 h−1 with an evaporation efficiency of up to 87.1 %. This evaporator offers a promising solution to water scarcity challenges due to its high evaporation efficiency, impressive durability, and low-cost.