Fabrication of Selective Polyaniline Membrane for Shielding Volatile Organic Compounds in Aqueous Solution during Solar-Steam Generation

Solar-driven evaporators for solar steam generation, in view of producing freshwater from impaired sources, are based on light-to-heat conversion materials. The current photothermal materials have shown a good antifouling ability to prevent adsorption of dye molecules, and antimicrobial properties to prevent biofouling. Nevertheless, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) may co-evaporate during steam generation so that the produced water is not sufficient in quality. This restricts their large-scale application. A selective polymer membrane with tailorable porosity and pore size as well as structural stability is an ideal photothermal material. Inspired by the fact that polyaniline can form thin film onto an inert electrode in an applied electric field and the polyaniline is a superior photothermal conversion material. I will prepare a polyaniline thin film with aniline and sulfuric acid as electrolyte viaelectrochemical deposition method for shielding VOCs in aqueous solution during solar steam generation. This different interaction behavior of the membrane with water molecules and VOCs can achieve the interception of VOCs and selective transport of water molecules during evaporation. Taking phenol as reference pollutant, the prepared membrane can achieve a satisfactory separation performance of phenol. To sum up, the newly designed photothermal polymer membranes would have a distinct advantage in separating trace amounts of VOCs from water during solar evaporation and show great potential in freshwater remediation in remote areas lacking freshwater water.