Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/180499
Title: 3D printing of bio-inspired porous polymeric solar steam generators for efficient and sustainable desalination
Authors: Hou, Yanbei
Gao, Ming
Bai, Xueyu
Zhao, Lihua
Du, Hejun
Zhou, Kun
Keywords: Engineering
Issue Date: 2024
Source: Hou, Y., Gao, M., Bai, X., Zhao, L., Du, H. & Zhou, K. (2024). 3D printing of bio-inspired porous polymeric solar steam generators for efficient and sustainable desalination. Applied Physics Reviews, 11(3), 031407-. https://dx.doi.org/10.1063/5.0200505
Project: IAF-ICP 
Journal: Applied Physics Reviews 
Abstract: Freshwater scarcity is a pressing issue worldwide, and solar steam generators (SSGs) have emerged as a promising device for seawater desalination, harnessing renewable solar energy to facilitate sustainable water evaporation. The facile fabrication approach for SSG with complex topologies to achieve high water evaporation efficiency remains a challenge. Herein, a MIL-101 (Fe)-derived C@Fe3O4 ink was employed to multi-jet fusion (MJF) printing of polymeric porous SSGs with specific topologies. The optimized porous structure endows the printed SSGs with capillary force, greatly promoting water transport. The tree-like topology enables high water evaporation rates under various simulated solar radiation conditions. A finite element model was built to fully understand the light-to-thermal energy conversion and water evaporation processes. Moreover, the MJF-printed SSGs exhibit self-cleaning properties and can automatically remove accumulated salt on their surfaces, enabling sustainable desalination. During prolonged testing, the water evaporation rate of the SSGs remained relatively stable and reached as high as 1.55 kg m−2 h−1. Additionally, the desalinated water met the standards for direct drinking water. This study presents a state-of-the-art technology for producing efficient SSGs for desalination and introduces a novel method for MJF printing of functional nanocomposites.
URI: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/180499
ISSN: 1931-9401
DOI: 10.1063/5.0200505
Schools: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering 
Research Centres: HP-NTU Digital Manufacturing Corporate Lab
Singapore Centre for 3D Printing 
Rights: © 2024 Author(s). Published under an exclusive license by AIP Publishing. All rights reserved. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the copyright holder. The Version of Record is available online at http://doi.org/10.1063/5.0200505
Fulltext Permission: embargo_20250729
Fulltext Availability: With Fulltext
Appears in Collections:MAE Journal Articles

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