Lamellar TiN/SiO2 nanofiber aerogel

Salt-resistant at 20 wt% salinity

A lamellar-structured TiN/SiO2 nanofiber aerogel evaporator that achieves long-term stable evaporation in high-salinity brine without salt accumulation through layered arrangement and a superhydrophilic fiber scaffold.

Wenzhe, Li · Siyuan, Xiao · Mengjiao, Zhang · Yuxin, Ma · Fu, Qiuxia · Shan, Haoru

Separation and Purification Technology 2026

Specifications

Evaporation rate

{'zh': '2.25', 'en': '2.25'} kg·m⁻²·h⁻¹

Continuous operation time

{'zh': '72', 'en': '72'} h

Advantages

No salt accumulation

Layered arrangement and superhydrophilic SiO2 fiber scaffold cause salt to enrich outside the evaporator, leaving surface nearly crystal-free.

High and stable evaporation rate

Maintains evaporation rate of 2.25 kg·m⁻²·h⁻¹ even in 20 wt% NaCl, stable over 72 h.

Negligible liquid emission

The design achieves negligible liquid emission during evaporation, avoiding secondary pollution.

Applications

• Solar interfacial evaporation：Efficiently produce freshwater from high-salinity brine using solar energy only.
• High-salinity brine desalination：Treat 20 wt% brine without salt accumulation, extending evaporator lifetime.
• Aerogel evaporator materials：Lamellar aerogel structure enables efficient photothermal conversion and salt resistance.