Facile formation of Ag nanoworms based Janus nanofiber composites for efficient solar steam generation

In this work, a flexible Janus composites membrane fabricated by large-scale electrospinning, a rapid plasma etching process, and reproducible surface modification is proposed for stable and efficient solar desalination. The upper hydrophobic plasmonic absorbers are used for effective solar absorption while the bottom hydrophilic polymer layer is for water supply and salt resistant. The heat stability and cycle tests demonstrate their superior performance for steam generation (energy conversion efficiency with 76.06% under 6 sun and stable water output with 7.533 kg m−2 h−1). Such Janus membrane provides an alternative way for direct solar desalination, which is achieved by a scalable and cost-effective process.