INS13-1237
PEDOT:PEC Photo-thermal Hydrogel for Solar-Driven Interfacial Evaporation
Topic
S13. Korea-Germany Polymer Symposium 2026: “Pioneering the Future of Polymeric Materials and Bridging Innovation in Sustainable Technologies”
When and Where
Sep 30, 2026
17:15 - 17:40
Room 203
Session Chairs
Sehoon KIM
Andre GRÖSCHEL
Presenter(s)
Tae-Dong Kim (Hannam University)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Phenomena such as desertification and rapid expansion of dry areas due to global warming are further worsening the water shortage problem. As a result, regions with limited freshwater resources have relied on building desalination plants as a means of solving these problems. One of the freshwater production methods is the solar vapor generator system (SVG), which involves the processes of solar absorption, thermal conversion and local heating to induce seawater vaporization. A variety of photo-thermal materials can be used in this process including carbon nanomaterials known for their broad wavelength absorption properties. To enhance desalination efficiency, one has introduced thin hydrophobic photo-thermal membranes and porous micro-channel membranes for efficient water flux. In this works, we have successfully fabricated desalination membranes for solar-powered desalination using a PEC hydrogel materials through the combination of cationic and anionic polymers with PEDOT:PEC for photo-thermal layer. The abundant ions within the material stabilize salts like NaCl, allowing for continuous salt crystal detachment. This prevents issues related to salt accumulation and reduced evaporation rates typically encountered in existing systems. Moreover, our material demonstrates an effective strategy for transitioning water into a favorable state for evaporation. Additionally, by introducing salt treatment, we give porosity to the membrane, resulting in increased evaporation rates. As a result, we achieved a high evaporation rate (1.88 kg m-2 h-1) in regions approximating the actual average seawater concentration. The PEC hydrogel-based membrane proposed in this study represents a fundamental approach to improving water production capacity and water quality, providing guidelines for efficient and stable solar desalination device applications.
