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Polyaniline-modified sea sand suppresses phase-change-driven microplastic transport via regenerable interfacial retention for long-term solar desalination
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Researchers coated natural sea sand with a conductive polymer (polyaniline) to build a solar evaporation device for turning seawater into drinking water. In a 30-day outdoor test using seawater from three Chinese rivers, the coated sand retained seven types of microplastics from reaching the condensed water while producing over 220 kg of freshwater per square meter, with stable performance after repeated reuse cycles.
Solar interfacial evaporation (SIE) provides a low-carbon route for seawater desalination, but its nonequilibrium phase-change interface may facilitate microplastic transfer from seawater to condensate. To mitigate this water-quality risk, a low-cost, regenerable photothermal interface was constructed by modifying natural sea sand with polyaniline (PANI@SS). The PANI coating enhanced broadband solar absorption and promoted interfacial water activation, achieving an evaporation rate of 2.20 kg·m −2 ·h −1 . Adsorption, spectroscopy, thermodynamic analysis, and molecular dynamics simulations showed that PANI converted the weak physical retention of pristine sea sand into stable interfacial anchoring, counteracting phase-change-driven microplastic transport. Reversible protonation/deprotonation enabled pH-regulated interfacial affinity, supporting facile regeneration and sustained antifouling performance. PANI@SS effectively retained seven representative microplastics with different structures and polarities, indicating broad applicability. In a 30-day outdoor test using natural seawater from the Yellow, Yangtze, and Pearl River estuaries, cumulative freshwater production exceeded 220 kg·m −2 , while major ion concentrations met drinking-water guideline limits. Evaporation performance, microplastic retention, and material structure remained stable after repeated evaporation–regeneration cycles. This study reveals the competition between phase-change transport and interfacial retention as a key mechanism governing microplastic migration and product-water safety in SIE, providing a practical strategy for efficient, durable, and regenerable solar desalination.
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