Revolutionary solar evaporation system: Harnessing the power of bacterial cellulose/Ag NPs/polypyrrole with its promoted antibacterial applications

Extensive research is being conducted on a promising technology that utilizes solar energy and photothermal materials to address the global challenges of freshwater scarcity and energy shortage. Real-world applications of this technology require materials with specific properties such as mechanical flexibility and antimicrobial characteristics. Herein, a self-supporting membrane for interfacial photothermal water evaporation is developed, incorporating bacterial cellulose (BC) as a resilient and hydrophilic backbone material, along with Polypyrrole（PPy）loading and silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) doping. The addition of Ag NPs not only enhances the antibacterial properties of the material, but also improves light absorption through plasma resonance, resulting in enhanced photothermal conversion efficiency. Experimental results demonstrate that the BC/Ag/PPy hybridized membrane exhibits an outstanding photothermal evaporation efficiency of 91%. Additionally, the membrane maintains a stable evaporation rate and favorable mechanical properties. With its exceptional performance, this BC/Ag/PPy membrane offers a practical solution for long-term seawater desalination applications.