A 3D-Structured Sustainable Solar-Driven Steam Generator Using Super-Black Nylon Flocking Materials

Solar-driven evaporation is a promising way of using abundant solar energy for desalinating polluted water or seawater, which addresses the challenge of global fresh water scarcity. Cost-effectiveness and durability are key factors for practical solar-driven evaporation technology. The present cutting-edge techniques mostly rely on costly and complex fabricated nanomaterials, such as metallic nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanoporous hydrogels, graphene, and graphene derivatives. Herein, a black nylon fiber (BNF) flocking board with a vertically aligned array prepared via a convenient electrostatic flocking technique is reported, presenting an extremely high solar absorbance (99.6%), a water self-supply capability, and a unique salt self-dissolution capability for seawater desalination. Through a carefully designed 3D structure, a plug-in-type BNF flocking board steam generator realizes a high evaporation rate of 2.09 kg m-2 h-1 under 1 kW m-2 solar illumination, well beyond its corresponding upper limit of 1.50 kg m-2 h-1 (assuming 100% solar energy is being used for evaporation latent heat). With the advantages of high-efficiency fabrication, cost-effectiveness, high evaporation rate, and high endurance in seawater desalination, this 3D design provides a new strategy to build up an economic, sustainable, and rapid solar-driven steam generation system.