Janus PAN/PVDFC Photothermal Nanofibrous Membrane-Based Suspended Evaporator for Desalination and Salt Collection

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation desalination has been widely used in seawater desalination due to its cleanliness, efficiency, and sustainability advantages. However, the evaporation systems present a synergistic requirement for the total evaporation rate and salt collection. In this work, a photothermal Janus polyacrylonitrile/polyvinylidene fluoride-carbon black nanofibrous membrane (PAN/PVDFC NFM) with synergistic optimization of high light absorption rates and hydraulic transport was produced using electrospinning technology. Meanwhile, a tailored suspended solar-driven interfacial evaporator based on the Janus PAN/PVDFC NFM was designed to collect freshwater and salt resources. The results show that the evaporator achieves a total evaporation rate of 1.85 kg m–2 h–1 under 1 kW m–2 irradiation. Notably, the Janus PAN/PVDFC NFM-based evaporator exhibited stable adaptability to organic dye wastewater, high-salinity brine, and acidic and alkaline wastewater. Moreover, its adjustable structural mechanism enables the efficient collection of freshwater and salt resources. This study provides a promising pathway for the collection of freshwater and salt resources through tailored solar-driven interfacial desalination systems.