Temperature-gated active salt secretion enables stable photothermal evaporation

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ID: 337921
2026
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Abstract
Abstract Photothermal evaporation offers a sustainable solution for brine and seawater desalination, yet its long-term operation is fundamentally limited by salt accumulation arising from diffusion-limited ion transport, especially under high evaporative flux. Here, inspired by the active salt secretion of the mangrove, we develop a temperature-responsive evaporator that actively regulates ion transport through temperature-gated channel dynamics for stable high-flux evaporation. By integrating thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) within an ordered reduced graphene oxide-carbon nanotube architecture, the system achieves reversible contraction and swelling with a ratio of 87%, enabling continuous water replenishment during heating and efficient expulsion of concentrated brine upon cooling. This salt secretion process accelerates salt backflow by over 2 orders of magnitude compared with conventional diffusion-driven transport, effectively renewing the evaporation surface and sustaining stable high-flux water collection (∼3.40 kg m−2 h−1) under diverse saline conditions and solar intensities. By replacing passive structural optimization with active transport regulation, this work establishes a new strategy for salt management in photothermal desalination and adaptive interfacial transport systems.
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openalex_W7224829968 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Xiaoyang Duan, Keyang Liu, Zhenao Gu, Wei Zhang, Chengzhi Hu, Jiuhui Qu
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Journal national science review
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/nsr/nwag686
URL
https://academic.oup.com/nsr/advance-article-pdf/doi/10.1093/nsr/nwag686/72616579/nwag686.pdf
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