Simultaneous Salt Rejection and Heat Localization Via Engineering Macrochannels in Morning Glory-Shaped 3D Evaporator

Solar desalination is a promising solution for alleviating water scarcity due to its low-cost, environmentally friendly, and off-grid capabilities. However, simultaneous salt rejection and heat localization remain challenging, as the rapid salt convection often results in considerable heat loss. Herein, this challenge is overcome via a facile design: i) isolating high-temperature and high-salt zones by rationally designing morning glory-shaped wick structures and ii) bridging high-salt zones and bulk water with low-tortuosity macrochannels across low-temperature surfaces. The salinity gradient in the macrochannels passively triggers convective flow, facilitating the rapid transfer of salt ions from the high-salt zone to the bulk water. Meanwhile, the macrochannels are spatially isolated from the high-temperature zone, preventing heat loss during salt convection and thereby achieving a high evaporation rate (≈3 kg m⁻² h⁻¹) and superior salt rejection even in highly concentrated real seawater. This work provides new insights into salt rejection strategies and advances practical applications for sustainable seawater desalination. © 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.