Bioinspired photothermal zwitterionic fibrous membrane for high-efficiency solar desalination and electricity generation.
basic_science · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 40640127.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-025-61244-9 and PMC identifier 12246431.
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Abstract
Solar-driven desalination holds great promise for addressing the scarcity of global freshwater. However, salt accumulation remains a significant challenge, particularly for two-dimensional membrane materials. Inspired by aquaporins, we design a porous zwitterionic fibrous membrane that selectively transports water while rejecting Na<sup>+</sup> and Cl<sup>-</sup>, achieving efficient evaporation and salt resistance. The incorporation of porphyrin-based conjugated microporous polymers enhances photothermal conversion and antibacterial properties, while zwitterionic groups and porous structure disrupt high-salinity gradients, effectively preventing salt deposition. The membrane achieves an evaporation rate of 2.64 kg m<sup>-2</sup> h<sup>-1</sup> and a photothermal efficiency of 97.6% under 1 kW m<sup>-2</sup> solar irradiation. Furthermore, the coupling of photothermal evaporator and thermoelectric module achieves a stable electric output (power density: 1.5 W m<sup>-2</sup>). This work presents a synergistic strategy for salt resistance, water purification and energy generation, advancing the design of solar-thermal-electric integrated systems.