2024 | Duo Xu, Can Ge, Ze Chen, Zhixun Zhang, Qian Zhang, Tao Chen, Chong Gao, Weilin Xu, Jian Fang
A scalable photo-electro-thermal textile is developed for high-performance, salt-resistant solar-driven desalination. The textile, composed of core-shell structured yarns with a polypyrrole-decorated Tencel (PPy@Tencel) core and a commercial electric wire middle layer, achieves efficient electrothermal and photothermal conversion. The electric wire is wrapped with a specific pitch and eccentricity to optimize heat generation and distribution, resulting in a high surface temperature of over 52°C at 3 V DC input. This enables evaporation rates of 5.57 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ for pure water and 4.89 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ for 3.5 wt.% brine under 1 kW m⁻² solar radiation. The textile demonstrates stable desalination performance over 24 hours with no salt deposition, achieving a daily water collection of over 46 kg m⁻² d⁻¹. In high-concentration brine (10 wt.%), the desalination rate remains stable at 3.53 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ with a moderate energy supply. The textile's robust structure and hydrophilic properties ensure long-term durability and efficient salt rejection. Outdoor tests confirm its effectiveness in practical conditions, with a desalination energy consumption of approximately 1.29 kW h m⁻³. The textile's all-weather performance, combined with its cost-effectiveness and scalability, makes it a promising solution for sustainable desalination.A scalable photo-electro-thermal textile is developed for high-performance, salt-resistant solar-driven desalination. The textile, composed of core-shell structured yarns with a polypyrrole-decorated Tencel (PPy@Tencel) core and a commercial electric wire middle layer, achieves efficient electrothermal and photothermal conversion. The electric wire is wrapped with a specific pitch and eccentricity to optimize heat generation and distribution, resulting in a high surface temperature of over 52°C at 3 V DC input. This enables evaporation rates of 5.57 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ for pure water and 4.89 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ for 3.5 wt.% brine under 1 kW m⁻² solar radiation. The textile demonstrates stable desalination performance over 24 hours with no salt deposition, achieving a daily water collection of over 46 kg m⁻² d⁻¹. In high-concentration brine (10 wt.%), the desalination rate remains stable at 3.53 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ with a moderate energy supply. The textile's robust structure and hydrophilic properties ensure long-term durability and efficient salt rejection. Outdoor tests confirm its effectiveness in practical conditions, with a desalination energy consumption of approximately 1.29 kW h m⁻³. The textile's all-weather performance, combined with its cost-effectiveness and scalability, makes it a promising solution for sustainable desalination.