MOF-Based Hierarchical Structures for Solar-Thermal Clean Water Production

Abstract

Solar-thermal water evaporation, as a promising method for clean water production, has attracted increasing attention. However, solar water evaporators that exhibit both high water vapor generation ability and anti-oil-fouling ability have not been reported. Here, a unique metal-organic-framework-based hierarchical structure, referred to as MOF-based hierarchical structure (MHS), is rationally designed and prepared, which simultaneously displays a high solar absorption and a superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic surface property. As a proof-of-concept application, a device prepared from the MHS can achieve a high solar-thermal water evaporation rate of 1.50 kg m^-2 h^-1 under 1 sun illumination. Importantly, the MHS also possesses an excellent anti-oil-fouling property, ensuring its superior water evaporation performance even in oil-contaminated water. The high solar-thermal water evaporation rate and anti-oil-fouling property make the MHS a promising material for the solar-thermal water production.

Keywords: desalination; hierarchical structures; metal-organic frameworks; solar-thermal materials; water remediation.