Bioinspired Asymmetric Polypyrrole Membranes with Enhanced Photothermal Conversion for Highly Efficient Solar...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Renewable Energy
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) offers a sustainable method for clean water production.
• Evaporator surface engineering is crucial for improving light absorption and evaporation efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate a flexible, pristine polypyrrole (PPy) membrane with an asymmetric hierarchical structure for enhanced solar evaporation.
• To investigate the impact of the unique bubble and nanotube structure on light trapping and photothermal conversion.

Main Methods:

• Template-assisted interfacial polymerization was used to create the PPy membrane with macro/micro-bubble and nanotube structures.
• Characterization of the membrane's optical and structural properties.
• Testing of the membrane's performance in solar-driven interfacial evaporation and desalination.

Main Results:

• The fabricated PPy-A membrane exhibited a hierarchical macro/micro-bubble and nanotube structure.
• Achieved 96.3% full-spectrum light absorption and a high evaporation rate of 2.03 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ under 1 sun.
• Demonstrated stable long-term desalination using a one-way water channel.

Conclusions:

• The PPy-A membrane shows significant potential for high-efficiency solar evaporation applications.
• The study provides insights into designing evaporator topologies for improved solar water production.
• Pristine PPy membranes are feasible for zero-carbon emission clean water generation.