Affiliation:
1. Research Center of Resource Chemistry and Energy Materials, and State Key Laboratory for Oxo Synthesis and Selective Oxidation Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Lanzhou 730000 P. R. China
2. Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100049 P. R. China
Abstract
AbstractInterfacial solar evaporation (ISE) holds considerable promise to solve fresh water shortage, but it is challenging to achieve high evaporation rate (Reva) and fresh water yield in close system. Here, we report design and preparation of MOF‐based solar evaporators with hierarchical microporous/nanobridged/nanogranular structures for rapid ISE and fresh water collection in close system. The evaporators are fabricated by growing silicone nanofilaments with variable length as nanobridges on a microporous silicone sponge followed by grafting with polydopamine nanoparticles and Cu‐MOF nanocrystals. Integration of the unique structure and excellent photothermal composites endows the evaporators with high Reva of 3.5–20 wt % brines (3.60–2.90 kg m−2 h−1 in open system and 2.38–1.44 kg m−2 h−1 in close system) under simulated 1 sun, high Reva under natural sunlight, excellent salt resistance and high fresh water yield, which surpass most state‐of‐the‐art evaporators. Moreover, when combined with a superhydrophilic cover, the evaporators show much higher average Reva of real seawater, remarkable fresh water yield and excellent long‐term stability over one month continuous ISE under natural sunlight. The findings here will promote the development of advanced evaporators via microstructure engineering and their real‐world ISE applications.