D-PAN@PDA@Ag core-shell nanofibrous membrane-based evaporator for sustained and efficient solar-driven interfacial desalination

Polydopamine (PDA) has been regarded as a meaningful and auxiliary photothermal material owing to its natural mussel foot protein-like functional groups, which can be facilely adhered to other substrates. Nevertheless, simply depositing a uniform and thick PDA shell on the fiber surface remains a challenge. Herein, a uniform super-thick PDA-shelled dopamine/polyacrylonitrile nanofibrous membrane (D-PAN@PDA NFM) with outstanding flexibility and mechanical stability was successfully constructed by the electrospinning and self-polymerization methods. Coupled with plasma Ag nanoparticles, the fabricated D-PAN@PDA@Ag core-shell NFM-based evaporator performed an efficient evaporation rate of 1.91 kg m � 2 h-1 under one-sun irradiation, and the corresponding energy conversion efficiency can reach to 85.5%. Interestingly, the absorption of PDA molecules could be enhanced when it was combined with water molecules, which was further demonstrated through density functional theory calculation. This work provides a new pathway for the construction of pho-tothermal fibrous membranes, expanding their potential application in the photothermal fields.