Solar driven desalination of seawater using self-floating NiMoSe₂-based membranes

Employing solar energy for the interfacial desalination of seawater via nanoparticles presents a sustainable and eco-friendly solution to alleviate the global water scarcity problem. Traditional desalination methods often suffer from low efficiencies, and the majority necessitate extensive heating, making them economically unfavorable. This study presents a facile hydrothermal synthesis of NiMoSe₂ nanoparticles that were subsequently deposited onto a cotton gauze membrane using a sonication method. These nanoparticles were able to reach solar efficiency up to 95% with an evaporation flux of 2.52 kg m^-2 h^-1 and overcome the problem of extensive heating. XRD, SEM, TEM, and UV-visible spectroscopy proved the synthesis of the particles. The hydrophilic nature of the membrane surface was verified through contact angle measurements, while its photothermal conversion efficiency was confirmed via infrared imaging. The desalinated water produced through this solar method was subsequently tested for ion concentration using atomic absorption spectroscopy, which yielded results below the drinking water standard set by the World Health Organization. This work synthesizes photothermal membranes showing efficient and environmentally friendly desalination of seawater.