Structural solar interface evaporator with durable hydrophilicity and anti-biological fouling functions

The SWSA (super-wicking and super-light-absorbing) structure of a titanium alloy (TC4) solar interfacial evaporator with open grooves may improve the clogging issues in sewage purification. There persist the challenges of the non-durable hydrophilicity owing to the carbon-containing gases absorbing by its loose micro-nano surface, and the biological calcification owing to the biocompatibility of titanium alloy. TiO 2 (Ag/Cu) films were designed and prepared on top of SWSA to encapsulate the loose nano-structure, whilst remained micro-structure unchanged, by forming a dense continuous layer with surface durable hydrophilicity and biological fouling resistance. The results showed that the durable hydrophilicity of the film-sealed evaporator extended up to 150 days until the test was forcibly terminated, which increased at least 6.25 times. The encapsulation function by the dense layer was to reduce the surface adsorption of carbon-containing gases, proved by XPS results. The TiO 2 (Ag/Cu) films endowed Anti-biological fouling and organic matter decomposition ability by the virtue of the antibacterial property of Ag and Cu and the photocatalytic effect of the TiO 2 . The structural of the TiO 2 (Ag/Cu)-SWSA TC4 interface evaporator showed its reasonable evaporation rate of 1.54 L×h −1 ×m −2 , durable hydrophilicity, and excellent anti-biological fouling properties, which could be promising to purify fouling water.