A Novel Functionalized MoS₂-Based Coating for Efficient Solar Desalination

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Environmental Engineering

Background:

• Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is a promising photothermal material for solar desalination.
• Limited integration of MoS2 with organic materials due to a lack of surface functional groups hinders its application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a functionalization approach for MoS2 to enhance its integration with organic matrices for solar desalination.
• To fabricate and evaluate a MoS2-based double-layer evaporator for efficient solar-driven water production.

Main Methods:

• Functionalization of MoS2 surface with carboxyl (-COOH), hydroxyl (-OH), and amino (-NH2) groups by introducing sulfur vacancies.
• Fabrication of a MoS2-based double-layer evaporator by coating functionalized MoS2 onto a polyvinyl alcohol-modified polyurethane sponge.
• Assessment of photothermal desalination performance under one sun irradiation.

Main Results:

• The functionalized MoS2 exhibited enhanced photothermal efficiency compared to unmodified MoS2.
• The hydroxyl-functionalized MoS2 evaporator achieved a high evaporation rate of 1.35 kg m⁻² h⁻¹.
• An impressive solar-to-evaporation efficiency of 83% was recorded for the functionalized MoS2 evaporator.

Conclusions:

• Surface functionalization of MoS2 is an effective strategy to improve its applicability in solar desalination.
• The developed MoS2-based double-layer evaporator demonstrates high efficiency for solar energy utilization.
• This work offers a novel approach for green and large-scale solar desalination using MoS2 materials.