Synthesis and Evaluation of 3D Nitrogen Doped Reduced Graphene Oxide (3D N@rGO) Macrostructure for Boosted Solar Driven Interfacial Desalination of Saline Water
Abstract Recently, there has been a growing interest in solar‐driven interfacial desalination technology, which focuses on the localization of heat to the air‐water interface. In this study, 3D nitrogen‐doped reduced graphene oxide (3D N@rGO) photothermal material is synthesized with a facile one‐st...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Global Challenges |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/gch2.202400080 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850198638612971520 |
|---|---|
| author | Fisseha A Bezza Samuel A. Iwarere Shepherd M. Tichapondwa Hendrik G. Brink Michael O. Daramola Evans MN Chirwa |
| author_facet | Fisseha A Bezza Samuel A. Iwarere Shepherd M. Tichapondwa Hendrik G. Brink Michael O. Daramola Evans MN Chirwa |
| author_sort | Fisseha A Bezza |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Recently, there has been a growing interest in solar‐driven interfacial desalination technology, which focuses on the localization of heat to the air‐water interface. In this study, 3D nitrogen‐doped reduced graphene oxide (3D N@rGO) photothermal material is synthesized with a facile one‐step hydrothermal process. The material exhibited richer porosity, high hydrophilicity for efficient water channeling, and all‐directional solar absorption potential. The 3D N@rGO solar absorber attained up to ≈55 °C surface temperature rise and showed ≈134% photothermal conversion efficiency with 1.94 kg m−2 h−1 net freshwater generation rate under 1 sun solar illumination, owing to efficient latent heat recycle. On a high salinity desalination study performed using 10 and 20 wt.% salinity levels, the photothermal material showed 1.66 and 1.31 kg m−2 h−1 evaporation rates respectively. It sustained stable long‐term desalination performance without visible salt accumulation on the surface up to a salinity level of 10 wt.%. In a three‐day outdoor test carried out utilizing simulated seawater with a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution, the 3D evaporator demonstrated an average freshwater production rate of 2.61 kg m−2 h−1, during the test the solar power density reached up to 1.1 kW m−2. The 3D solar absorber exhibited a promising potential for large‐scale seawater desalination in water‐scarce regions worldwide. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4ee05e0908bd49e892e1f323aab18af5 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2056-6646 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Challenges |
| spelling | doaj-art-4ee05e0908bd49e892e1f323aab18af52025-08-20T02:12:49ZengWileyGlobal Challenges2056-66462025-04-0194n/an/a10.1002/gch2.202400080Synthesis and Evaluation of 3D Nitrogen Doped Reduced Graphene Oxide (3D N@rGO) Macrostructure for Boosted Solar Driven Interfacial Desalination of Saline WaterFisseha A Bezza0Samuel A. Iwarere1Shepherd M. Tichapondwa2Hendrik G. Brink3Michael O. Daramola4Evans MN Chirwa5Sustainable Energy and Environment Research Group Department of Chemical Engineering University of Pretoria Pretoria 0002 South AfricaSustainable Energy and Environment Research Group Department of Chemical Engineering University of Pretoria Pretoria 0002 South AfricaSustainable Energy and Environment Research Group Department of Chemical Engineering University of Pretoria Pretoria 0002 South AfricaSustainable Energy and Environment Research Group Department of Chemical Engineering University of Pretoria Pretoria 0002 South AfricaSustainable Energy and Environment Research Group Department of Chemical Engineering University of Pretoria Pretoria 0002 South AfricaSustainable Energy and Environment Research Group Department of Chemical Engineering University of Pretoria Pretoria 0002 South AfricaAbstract Recently, there has been a growing interest in solar‐driven interfacial desalination technology, which focuses on the localization of heat to the air‐water interface. In this study, 3D nitrogen‐doped reduced graphene oxide (3D N@rGO) photothermal material is synthesized with a facile one‐step hydrothermal process. The material exhibited richer porosity, high hydrophilicity for efficient water channeling, and all‐directional solar absorption potential. The 3D N@rGO solar absorber attained up to ≈55 °C surface temperature rise and showed ≈134% photothermal conversion efficiency with 1.94 kg m−2 h−1 net freshwater generation rate under 1 sun solar illumination, owing to efficient latent heat recycle. On a high salinity desalination study performed using 10 and 20 wt.% salinity levels, the photothermal material showed 1.66 and 1.31 kg m−2 h−1 evaporation rates respectively. It sustained stable long‐term desalination performance without visible salt accumulation on the surface up to a salinity level of 10 wt.%. In a three‐day outdoor test carried out utilizing simulated seawater with a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution, the 3D evaporator demonstrated an average freshwater production rate of 2.61 kg m−2 h−1, during the test the solar power density reached up to 1.1 kW m−2. The 3D solar absorber exhibited a promising potential for large‐scale seawater desalination in water‐scarce regions worldwide.https://doi.org/10.1002/gch2.202400080interfacial desalinationnitrogen‐dopedphotothermal conversion efficiencyphotothermal materialreduced graphene oxide |
| spellingShingle | Fisseha A Bezza Samuel A. Iwarere Shepherd M. Tichapondwa Hendrik G. Brink Michael O. Daramola Evans MN Chirwa Synthesis and Evaluation of 3D Nitrogen Doped Reduced Graphene Oxide (3D N@rGO) Macrostructure for Boosted Solar Driven Interfacial Desalination of Saline Water Global Challenges interfacial desalination nitrogen‐doped photothermal conversion efficiency photothermal material reduced graphene oxide |
| title | Synthesis and Evaluation of 3D Nitrogen Doped Reduced Graphene Oxide (3D N@rGO) Macrostructure for Boosted Solar Driven Interfacial Desalination of Saline Water |
| title_full | Synthesis and Evaluation of 3D Nitrogen Doped Reduced Graphene Oxide (3D N@rGO) Macrostructure for Boosted Solar Driven Interfacial Desalination of Saline Water |
| title_fullStr | Synthesis and Evaluation of 3D Nitrogen Doped Reduced Graphene Oxide (3D N@rGO) Macrostructure for Boosted Solar Driven Interfacial Desalination of Saline Water |
| title_full_unstemmed | Synthesis and Evaluation of 3D Nitrogen Doped Reduced Graphene Oxide (3D N@rGO) Macrostructure for Boosted Solar Driven Interfacial Desalination of Saline Water |
| title_short | Synthesis and Evaluation of 3D Nitrogen Doped Reduced Graphene Oxide (3D N@rGO) Macrostructure for Boosted Solar Driven Interfacial Desalination of Saline Water |
| title_sort | synthesis and evaluation of 3d nitrogen doped reduced graphene oxide 3d n rgo macrostructure for boosted solar driven interfacial desalination of saline water |
| topic | interfacial desalination nitrogen‐doped photothermal conversion efficiency photothermal material reduced graphene oxide |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/gch2.202400080 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT fissehaabezza synthesisandevaluationof3dnitrogendopedreducedgrapheneoxide3dnrgomacrostructureforboostedsolardriveninterfacialdesalinationofsalinewater AT samuelaiwarere synthesisandevaluationof3dnitrogendopedreducedgrapheneoxide3dnrgomacrostructureforboostedsolardriveninterfacialdesalinationofsalinewater AT shepherdmtichapondwa synthesisandevaluationof3dnitrogendopedreducedgrapheneoxide3dnrgomacrostructureforboostedsolardriveninterfacialdesalinationofsalinewater AT hendrikgbrink synthesisandevaluationof3dnitrogendopedreducedgrapheneoxide3dnrgomacrostructureforboostedsolardriveninterfacialdesalinationofsalinewater AT michaelodaramola synthesisandevaluationof3dnitrogendopedreducedgrapheneoxide3dnrgomacrostructureforboostedsolardriveninterfacialdesalinationofsalinewater AT evansmnchirwa synthesisandevaluationof3dnitrogendopedreducedgrapheneoxide3dnrgomacrostructureforboostedsolardriveninterfacialdesalinationofsalinewater |