Solar Driven Desalination of Seawater by Self-floating MoSe2 Based Membranes

Abstract

Employing solar energy for the interfacial desalination of seawater via nanoparticles presents a sustainable and eco-friendly solution to alleviate the global water scarcity problem. Traditional desalination methods often suffer from low efficiencies, and the majority necessitate extensive heating, making them economically unfavorable. This study presents a facile hydrothermal synthesis of MoSe2, CoMoSe2, and NiMoSe2 nanoparticles. These particles are subsequently deposited onto a cotton gauze membrane using a straightforward procedure. Characterization of the formed nanoparticles was performed using various analytical techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), UV-Visible spectroscopy, and Raman Spectroscopy. The hydrophilic nature of the membrane surface was verified through contact angle measurements, while its photothermal conversion efficiency was confirmed via infrared imaging. We conducted multiple tests to calculate the photothermal evaporation rate and solar efficiency to assess stability. The desalinated water produced through this solar method was subsequently tested for ion concentration using atomic absorption spectroscopy, which yielded results below the drinking water standard set by the World Health Organization. As a result, we have successfully synthesized a porous, hydrophilic, and selffloating membrane that shows promise for real-world implementation.