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Plant leaves inspired sunlight-driven purifier for high-efficiency clean water production

Author

Listed:
  • Hongya Geng

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Qiang Xu

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Mingmao Wu

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Hongyun Ma

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Panpan Zhang

    (Beijing Institute of Technology)

  • Tiantian Gao

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Liangti Qu

    (Tsinghua University
    Tsinghua University
    Beijing Institute of Technology)

  • Tianbao Ma

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Chun Li

    (Tsinghua University)

Abstract

Natural vascular plants leaves rely on differences in osmotic pressure, transpiration and guttation to produce tons of clean water, powered by sunlight. Inspired by this, we report a sunlight-driven purifier for high-efficiency water purification and production. This sunlight-driven purifier is characterized by a negative temperature response poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel (PN) anchored onto a superhydrophilic melamine foam skeleton, and a layer of PNIPAm modified graphene (PG) filter membrane coated outside. Molecular dynamics simulation and experimental results show that the superhydrophilicity of the relatively rigid melamine skeleton significantly accelerates the swelling/deswelling rate of the PNPG-F purifier. Under one sun, this rational engineered structure offers a collection of 4.2 kg m−2 h−1 and an ionic rejection of > 99% for a single PNPG-F from brine feed via the cooperation of transpiration and guttation. We envision that such a high-efficiency sunlight driven system could have great potential applications in diverse water treatments.

Suggested Citation

  • Hongya Geng & Qiang Xu & Mingmao Wu & Hongyun Ma & Panpan Zhang & Tiantian Gao & Liangti Qu & Tianbao Ma & Chun Li, 2019. "Plant leaves inspired sunlight-driven purifier for high-efficiency clean water production," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-09535-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09535-w
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