Flexible and Efficient Solar Thermal Generators Based on Polypyrrole Coated Natural Latex Foam for Multimedia Purification
Xu You, Jun Wang, Yu Fang, Zhenzhen Guo, Cheng Haiyan, Jiacheng Yin, Lei Yan, Xianbao Wang
Abstract
Solar evaporation has emerged as a facile and attractive technology for clean water production, desalination, and organic solvent purification by virtue of abundant solar energy. However, developing a high-performance, environment friendly, and scalable solar evaporator remains a significant challenge. Herein, a one-step, low-cost, and easy-to-manufacture synthesis of a three-dimensional macroporous solar steam generator is reported based on polypyrrole coated natural latex (PPy-NL) foam, offering a sustainable solution to the ever-growing issues of the energy and water crises. The as-prepared foam exhibits good wettability, acid and alkali resistance, high mechanical strength, low thermal conductivity (0.2257 W m–1 K–1) and excellent light absorption of ∼95% owing to the introduction of PPy coating. Among polymer photothermal materials, PPy-NL foam gives a vapor generation rate of 1.76 kg m–2 h–1 with a superb solar thermal conversion efficiency of 98% under 1 sun illumination. Furthermore, PPy-NL foam can be directly used to purify various types of wastewater and organic solvent with a high rejection of ions (nearly 100%), oil, and dye. This simple fabrication process with renewable polymer resources and photothermal materials provides a fundamental guidance and practical application value toward developing high-performance solar evaporation technologies for remote areas and individuals.