An ‘antifouling’ porous loofah sponge with internal microchannels as solar absorbers and water pumpers for thermal desalination
Chao Liu, Kevin Hong, Xiao Sun, Avi Natan, Pengcheng Luan, Yang Yang, Hongli Zhu
Abstract
We found that a type of fruiting body, the loofah, can enable efficient solar-driven steam generation based on the integrated bilayers and microchannels. Under illumination of one Sun, the steam generation rate and efficiency achieved 1.42 kg m<sup>−2</sup> h<sup>−1</sup> and 89.9%, respectively.
Topics & Concepts
DesalinationMaterials scienceBiofoulingThermalPorosityChemical engineeringComposite materialChemistryMembraneMeteorologyPhysicsEngineeringBiochemistrySolar-Powered Water Purification MethodsSurface Modification and SuperhydrophobicityAdvanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials