Conductively monolithic polypyrrole 3-D porous architecture with micron-sized channels as superior salt-resistant solar steam generators

Solar steam generation is a kind of highly promising technology for harvesting solar energy and the production of fresh water. Here, we report the fabrication of a novel Ca2+ crosslinked sodium alginate modified monolithic polypyrrole 3-D conductively porous architecture (M-PPy sponge) with unique micron-sized channels as functional solar steam generator. The as-synthesized M-PPy sponge shows excellent thermal insulation (a low thermal conductivity of 0.0995 W m−1 k−1), superhydrophilicity, nearly 100% light absorption and better mechanical properties. Under a solar light power of 1 kW m−2, a higher evaporation efficiency of 84.72% was achieved, which is comparable to the best performance for polymer systems that have been reported so far. More significantly, the modified monolithic polypyrrole shows the excellent salt-resistant performance in high saline solution with the greater evaporation efficiency of 84.43% and recyclability, making it promising candidate for a variety of applications, including power generation, desalination and so on. M-PPy sponge with unique micron-sized channels was synthesized to have superhydrophilicity, high solar evaporation efficiency, excellent salt-resistant performance and recyclability, making it promising candidate with great potentials for efficient solar steam generation. [Display omitted] •Ca2+ crosslinked sodium alginate modified monolithic PPy sponge.•The PPy sponge exhibits micron-sized channels, low thermal conductivity, 99% light absorption.•It shows high solar evaporation efficiency, excellent salt-resistant performance and recyclability.