Superhydrophobic membranes with ordered arrays of nanospiked microchannels for water desalination

Membrane distillation can desalinate seawater using low-grade heat energy or solar heat, but it has limited mass fluxes and membrane fouling issues. Glass membranes with integrated arrays of nanospiked microchannels and a narrow pore size distribution are made through a process that involves glass fiber drawing, dissolving template material from microchannels and differential chemical etching. After surface modification, superhydrophobic glass membranes with water contact angles of over 160 degrees are produced because of the formations of ordered arrays of spiked nanostructures. The superhydrophobic membrane has shown better antifouling ability and higher flux than those of existing polymer membranes, especially at high salt concentration, owing to its large pore diameter, straight pore shape, narrow pore size distribution, high chemical and thermal stabilities, and water-repelling ability.