Robust and versatile polypyrrole supramolecular network packed photothermal aerogel for solar-powered desalination

Solar-powered desalination is an emerging and sustainable water purification technology , that extends accessible clean water to relieve global water scarcity . Although great achievements have been made to develop interfacial photothermal materials, it is still challenging to simultaneously achieve high-level evaporation rates (>3 kg·m −2 ·h −1 , 1 sun) and high-efficient energy conversion (>95 %) under 1 sun illumination . Herein, a polypyrrole supramolecular network-packed photothermal aerogel is designed and developed as solar-thermal evaporator to boost highly efficient solar-powered desalination. The photothermal aerogel integrates the photothermal, hydrophilic , and nanostructured polypyrrole supramolecular network to intensify solar-thermal energy utilization and reduce evaporation enthalpy, and the heat-insulating polysiloxane aerogel to enable mass transfer and suppress heat loss. The combined merits of the polypyrrole supramolecular network-packed photothermal aerogel promise outstanding evaporation rate of 3.61 kg·m −2 ·h −1 and remarkable solar-to-vapor conversion efficiency of 97.1 % under 1 sun illumination. Furthermore, polypyrrole supramolecular network imparts reliable salt resistance, cyclic stability, and environment tolerability for potential applications in solar seawater desalination . The comprehensive performance has considerable advantages over state-of-the-art materials. The study provides a new paradigm for the design of solar-thermal composites to advanced solar-powered desalination and contributes to future sustainable environmental and energy applications .