Nanofiber aerogel with layered array with structure coupled photothermal/magnetothermal effect for continuous seawater desalination

• Published in: Chemical engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland : 1996) Vol. 499; p. 155969
• Main Authors: Yu, Zichen, Fan, Tingting, Liu, Yang, Yang, Bowen, Wang, Luyao, Yin, Fang, Gao, Yuan, Long, Yun-Ze
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.11.2024
• Subjects: Blow-spun; Magnetothermal; Nanofibrils arrays; Photothermal; Salt resistance; Blow-spun; Nanofibrils arrays; Salt resistance; Magnetothermal; Photothermal
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2024.155969
• ISSN: 1385-8947

•Fe3O4/SnSe/PDA@SPA has a unique layered array structure, endowing it with excellent water transmission capability.•Fe3O4/SnSe/PDA@SPA exhibits excellent superhydrophobicity to better resist salt formation.•New photothermal material SnSe coordinates with PDA to improve photothermal conversion efficiency.•With excellent photothermal and magnetothermal conversion efficiency, all-weather seawater desalination can be achieved. The solar evaporation is susceptible to intermittent solar irradiation as well as salt crystallization deposition on the surface severely limits the evaporation efficiency. In this work, subject to inspiration of the transpiration, groove array structure and antifouling performance of banana leaves, a multifunctional photothermal/ magnetothermal coupled three-dimensional(3D) aerogel evaporator with layer-by-layer array structure was prepared by blow-spun technology which can achieve mass produced. The unique super hydrophilic vertical array structure has multi-scale high-efficiency water transport channels and the SnSe-Fe3O4 evaporation layer realizes super hydrophobic self-cleaning and excellent photothermal and magnetothermal conversion performance, which can achieve all-weather seawater desalination. The vertical array structures facilitate the reflection and refraction of light and promote the seawater convection and salt crystals absorption coupling. It could improve the photothermal conversion efficiency and salt resistance of the evaporator. Which resulted in an evaporation rate of 2.53 kg m−2h−1 under 1 sun, with solar energy conversion efficiency of 105 % and the evaporation rate is about 4.54 kg m−2h−1 at a magnetic field. Furthermore, it could purify organic pollutants in industrial wastewater and use waste heat to generate electricity. This evaporator provides a new economical and environmentally friendly solution for seawater desalination and sewage treatment.