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A Three-Dimensional Porous Ag/C/Sodium Alginate@Polyurethane Sponge for Efficient Solar-Driven Seawater Desalination
Yingying Yue1, Rou Zeng1, Yingfei Wang1
1Yazhou Bay Innovation Institute, College of Food Science and Engineering, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya 572022, China.
Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 27, 2026
Summary
Researchers created a recyclable hydrogel sponge from coffee grounds and silver nanoparticles for efficient photothermal steam generation. This innovative material offers a sustainable solution for solar-driven water purification and energy applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Renewable Energy
Background:
- Carbonized coffee grounds offer excellent light absorption.
- Sodium alginate hydrogel is biocompatible, non-toxic, and cost-effective.
- These properties make them suitable for fabricating multi-functional photothermal materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a high-performance, recyclable photothermal-steam conversion composite hydrogel sponge.
- To utilize waste coffee grounds and sodium alginate for creating a 3D porous network.
- To investigate the role of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in enhancing material properties.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a 3D porous network using polyurethane (PU) sponge, sodium alginate, coffee ground-derived carbon, and AgNPs.
- A simple drying method was employed for material preparation.
- Systematic characterization of microstructure, physicochemical stability, mechanical properties, and photothermal performance.
Main Results:
- Stable interactions between coffee ground-derived carbon and sodium alginate were observed, regulating water evaporation.
- AgNPs enhanced the mechanical strength of the composite material.
- A high photothermal conversion efficiency of up to 92.32% was achieved.
Conclusions:
- A novel, recyclable photothermal-steam conversion composite hydrogel sponge was successfully prepared.
- The composite material demonstrates excellent photothermal performance and mechanical stability.
- This study expands the application of waste coffee ground-derived carbon in photothermal conversion.
