Passive solar-thermal interfacial crystallizer using laser-textured superwicking black metal
#00056
A femtosecond-laser-textured aluminium panel wicks seawater uphill across its face, absorbs ~92% of sunlight to evaporate it, and uses the coffee-ring effect plus salt creeping to push crystallised salt to the panel edges — self-cleaning, no membranes, no chemicals, no electricit
Guo Lab, The Institute of Optics, University of Rochester (Tang, Singh, Wei, Xu, Guo) · since 2024 · Neighborhood
Laboratory and rooftop proof-of-concept of the femtosecond-laser-textured superwicking black aluminium interfacial crystallizer (ABF-STIC) using real ocean water from the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. A 7-day co…
Evaporation rate (daytime, 1 sun)1.76kg/m²/h
Solar-to-vapour efficiency~74%
US National Science Foundation; Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Worldwide Universities Network · 1 source