Synthesis and Characterization of Solar Responsive Nanohydrogels for Salt Removal in Desalination Under Laboratory Conditions

Freshwater scarcity has intensified global interest in low energy and sustainable desalination technologies. Solar responsive nanohydrogels have recently emerged as promising materials for solar driven water evaporation due to their high water retention capacity, porous structure, and photothermal responsiveness. In this study, nanohydrogels incorporating photothermal nanoparticles were synthesized and evaluated under laboratory conditions. Structural and morphological analyses confirmed the formation of a highly porous three dimensional polymer network with uniform nanoparticle dispersion. Under simulated solar irradiation, the nanohydrogels exhibited rapid photothermal heating and significantly enhanced evaporation rates. Desalination experiments demonstrated effective salt rejection (>۹۹.۵%) and minimal surface salt accumulation. Furthermore, the nanohydrogels maintained stable performance over multiple operational cycles. These results indicate that solar responsive nanohydrogels are promising candidates for scalable and energy efficient desalination systems.

کلیدواژه ها:

Photothermal materials ، Water purification ، Hydrogel composites ، Ion adsorption ، Sustainable water treatment