Status : Verified
| Personal Name | Remolana, Rodel Jr. D. |
|---|---|
| Resource Title | Development of agar–pectin–macadamia nut shell biochar hydrogels for solar-driven interfacial evaporation |
| Date Issued | 11 June 2026 |
| Abstract | Freshwater scarcity and the energy-intensive nature of conventional desalination technologies have intensified the need for sustainable solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) systems for decentralized water purification. In this study, a sustainable agar–pectin–macadamia nutshell biochar (AP-MNSB) hydrogel composite was developed as a bio-based photothermal evaporator through polymer dissolution, citric acid crosslinking, freeze–thaw treatment, and solvent exchange. The resulting hydrogel exhibited interconnected porous structures, favorable hydrophilicity, and localized photothermal heating behavior suitable for interfacial evaporation applications. A Box–Behnken Design was employed to investigate the effects of agar-to-pectin ratio, citric acid concentration, and biochar loading on evaporation performance. The synthesized hydrogel formulations achieved net evaporation rates ranging from 1.7299 to 2.2854 kg·m⁻²·h⁻¹ under approximately 1000 W·m⁻² irradiation, significantly exceeding water-only evaporation performance. Notably, seawater evaporation did not consistently exhibit lower performance than deionized water evaporation, contrasting conventional assumptions regarding salinity-induced evaporation suppression. Post-optimization characterization further confirmed favorable properties for efficient porous transport pathways and thermal confinement. The findings demonstrate the potential of sustainable bio-based hydrogel composites incorporating waste-derived biochar for SDIE and decentralized water purification applications. |
| Degree Course | Master of Science in Environmental Engineering |
| Language | English |
| Keyword | Agar–pectin hydrogel; Macadamia nut shell biochar; Bio-based hydrogels; Solar-driven interfacial evaporation; Green synthesis |
| Material Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
Preliminary Pages
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Category : I - Has patentable or registrable invention of creation.
Access Permission : Limited Access