Development of hierarchical structures for enhanced solar desalination

Water scarcity is going to become one of the most serious challenges globally. Nearly 98% of the world’s available water is sea or brackish water and desalination is an alternative source of clean water to recycling. Solar driven water desalination solutions could provide a viable low cost and large scale alternative with minimal environmental impacts. In this paper, experimental work carried out to improve the evaporation efficiency of potable water from the salty water by developing the micro and nano hierarchical structures with the help of 3D printing technology and anodization. The prepared micro and nano hierarchical structures tested along with Aluminum sheet and anodized Aluminum sheet with and without impregnating. These three types of materials tested with three different water quantities, like 50 ml, 100 ml, and 200 ml on sunny days. The maximum efficiency for all three materials observed for 50 ml of water. Among all three elements, micro and nano hierarchical structures with 50 ml got the highest efficiency of 60%.