Highly efficient hydrothermal management, shape-controlled 3D conical aerogels for solar high-salinity seawater desalination and water purification

Addressing the imperative of global water scarcity, the innovative field of interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) offers a significant advancement. Despite the common hurdles of salt deposition and water-thermal management that can diminish the performance and longevity of evaporation systems, this research introduces a breakthrough with a three-dimensional (3D) conical evaporator. Developed through the refinement of geometry and microstructure, and validated by COMSOL assisted modeling, this evaporator not only features an efficient water transport system and a distinctive crystallization pattern at the edges but also excels in high-concentration seawater environments, achieving an evaporation rate of 1.92 kg m -2 h −1 in seawater with a salinity of 20 wt%, which is comparable to the rate observed in pure water. By fine-tuning the immersion depth, the evaporator optimizes interfacial heating, leading to an extraordinary evaporation efficiency of 121 % under one sun. This design adeptly meets the stringent desalination criteria for high-salinity waters and exemplifies a novel strategy for enhancing solar evaporation efficiency by effectively harnessing ambient energy sources.