Efficient solar-driven interfacial evaporation using conjugated microporous polymer networks synthesized from Buchwald–Hartwig coupling

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) has been considered as an effective and sustainable technology to purify water. To optimize heat localization and regulate water-existing forms via developing excellent photothermal materials is a key strategy to enhance SDIE performance. Herein, three novel conjugated microporous polymer networks (namely PBPs) were readily synthesized via Buchwald-Hartwig coupling between aryl bromides and p-phenylenediamine. Under 1 sun irradiation, the pure PBP-He without any additives delivered an excellent water evaporation of 1.18 and 0.96 kg·m−2·h−1 using pure water, nature seawater as water source, respectively, and the corresponding energy conversion efficiency was up to 81.1% and 65.7%. An ever-enhanced SDIE performance was found in the PBPs networks with increased amine-linked sites density. The study provided a promising CMPs-based photothermal conversion platform for water purification, photothermal therapy, and photothermal sterilization, etc.