Membrane assembled from anti-fouling copper-zinc-tin-selenide nanocarambolas for solar-driven interfacial water evaporation

• Published in: Chemical engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland : 1996) Switzerland : 1996), 2019-10, Vol.373, p.955-962
• Main Authors: Yang, Yawei, Que, Wenxiu, Zhao, Jianqiu, Han, Yan, Ju, Maomao, Yin, Xingtian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-fouling; Assembled membrane; Copper-zinc-tin-selenide nanocarambolas; Interfacial water evaporation; Solar desalination
• ISSN: 1385-8947; 1873-3212
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2019.05.099

•Anti-fouling CZTSe assembled membrane as solar absorber and vapor generator.•Salt-blocking and stable solar desalination over 30 days without efficiency decay.•Salts, heavy metals, organic dyes, acidity and alkalinity and bacteria removal.•Safe solar desalination without metals leaching from the assembled membrane. The anti-fouling copper-zinc-tin-selenide (CZTSe) nanocarambolas were synthesized and deposited on a hydrophilic filter membrane, as the full solar spectrum absorber and nanoporous vapor generator, for efficient and stable solar-driven interfacial water evaporation. The CZTSe nanocarambolas assembled membrane based self-floatable device with excellent light-to-heat conversion, abundant nanochannels, anti-fouling property, timely water supply and low heat loss achieved a remarkable solar evaporation rate of 1.528 kg/m2 h and a solar-to-vapor conversion efficiency up to 86.4% under one Sun, and stable solar desalination over 30 days without decay. This assembled membrane showed an excellent salt-rejection ability and a potential application of long-term efficient, stable and safe solar water purification of seawater and wastewater, and practical freshwater production under natural conditions.