Femtosecond laser induced porous surface on polymethyl methacrylate for filmwise condensation to improve solar still productivity

Mohd Shatar, Nursyahirah and Mohd Sabri, Mohd Faizul and Mohd Salleh, Mohd Faiz and Ani, Mohd Hanafi and Xie, Xitong and Weck, Arnaud (2023) Femtosecond laser induced porous surface on polymethyl methacrylate for filmwise condensation to improve solar still productivity. Desalination, 568. pp. 1-9. ISSN 0011-9164 E-ISSN 1873-4464

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Abstract

The decline in freshwater availability has spurred research into employing solar desalination technology. Recent research has concentrated on investigating the use of surface modification to improve the productivity of solar still for desalination. This paper presents the use of femtosecond laser texturing to induce a porous surface on the polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) cover of a solar still for producing filmwise condensation. Vertical lines 2.5 mm wide were fabricated on the PMMA surface using ultrafast laser texturing, and experiments were conducted using the modified cover on a solar still at a constant basin water temperature. Results show that the static water contact angle measured on the cleaned laser textured surface is hydrophobic. However, the formation of the porous structure leads to a change in wetting state from Cassie-Baxter to Wenzel upon exposure to water vapour. This change in wetting state enables the formation of filmwise condensation under the continuous presence of water vapours. The solar still productivity improves by 15.4 % and 23.1 % using both cleaned and uncleaned laser textured surfaces respectively. The modified surface is stable upon repeated exposure to water vapour, thus proving to be an excellent surface modification method for enhancing PMMA covered solar still performance.

Item Type:	Article (Journal)
Additional Information:	108274/4583
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Desalination, Femtosecond laser, Laser texturing, PMMA surface modification, Solar still
Subjects:	T Technology > T Technology (General)
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Engineering Kulliyyah of Engineering > Department of Manufacturing and Materials Engineering
Depositing User:	Mr Mohamad Ridzuan Musa
Date Deposited:	21 Nov 2023 12:19
Last Modified:	21 Nov 2023 14:17
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/108274

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