Utilizing solar energy to generate clean water by interface solar steam generation is considered to be a promising strategy to address the challenge of global water shortage. However, it is challenge to design an idealized structure with all of the required characters such as high photothermal conversion efficiency, large surface to volume, and porous and continuous water pumping. Herein, we demonstrate a three-dimensional all-fiber aerogel (3D AFA) that can float on the water surface and continuously self-pump water. More notably, an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) photothermal molecule is doped into the 3D AFA, which is endowed with the superior capacity of transferring solar energy into heat. Combining these distinctive benefits, the presented 3D AFA exhibits a high evaporation rate (1.43 kg m-2 h-1) and solar-to-vapor conversion efficiency (86.5%) under irradiation of 1 sun, as well as a high evaporation rate (10.9 kg m-2 d-1) under natural sunlight. Besides, the designed 3D AFA possesses sustainable stability and a self-cleaning function to restrain salt deposition, and there is no significant change in the evaporation performance after many cycles in the case of seawater treatment. With a highly efficient evaporation rate and long-term sustainable solar steam generation, such 3D AFA can offer a new strategy for desalination.
Keywords: 3D fiber aerogel; aggregation-induced emission; electrospinning; global water shortage; solar desalination.