Femtosecond laser induced porous surface on polymethyl methacrylate for filmwise condensation to improve solar still productivity

The decline in freshwater availability has spurred research into employing solar desalination technology. Recent research has concentrated on investigating the use of surface modification to improve the productivity of solar still for desalination. This paper presents the use of femtosecond laser texturing to induce a porous surface on the polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) cover of a solar still for producing filmwise condensation. Vertical lines 2.5 mm wide were fabricated on the PMMA surface using ultrafast laser texturing, and experiments were conducted using the modified cover on a solar still at a constant basin water temperature. Results show that the static water contact angle measured on the cleaned laser textured surface is hydrophobic. However, the formation of the porous structure leads to a change in wetting state from Cassie-Baxter to Wenzel upon exposure to water vapour. This change in wetting state enables the formation of filmwise condensation under the continuous presence of water vapours. The solar still productivity improves by 15.4 % and 23.1 % using both cleaned and uncleaned laser textured surfaces respectively. The modified surface is stable upon repeated exposure to water vapour, thus proving to be an excellent surface modification method for enhancing PMMA covered solar still performance. •Filmwise condensation forms on the laser textured lines due to the porous surface.•Cassie-Wenzel droplet state transition is seen on the porous hydrophobic surface.•Laser texturing improves heat dissipation of the PMMA cover.•Freshwater output decrease with an increase in laser textured surface area ratio.•Modified PMMA morphology and chemistry remain stable after repeated experiments.