Integrated Extraction of Electrical Energy and Freshwater from Seawater via Asymmetric Evaporator

Abstract Technologies that combine power generation and seawater desalination hold great promise for addressing the global shortage of electricity and freshwater. In this study, an integrated seawater desalination‐power generation system is presented that leverages solar energy to drive both water evaporation and ion migration, achieving dual functions of energy conversion and freshwater production. By incorporating hydrophilic groups, the system effectively lowers the water's evaporation enthalpy, thereby enhancing the evaporation rate. Experimental results show that a single evaporator (1 × 1 × 0.5 cm) can achieve a water evaporation rate of 2.35 kg m −2 h −1 under solar irradiation (803 W m −2 ). In addition to accelerating evaporation, light also induces directional ion migration, thereby improving the system's power output. Under 803 W m − 2 solar radiation, the system achieves a peak power density of 1.78 µW cm −2 . Furthermore, wheat cultivation experiments are conducted using the purified water, and the plants show normal growth, further confirming the system's potential in agricultural irrigation and sustainable water resource utilization.