Development of Chitosan-Based Graphene Hydrogel for Efficient Solar Evaporation

Hooi Peng Lim; Limi Chong; Ida Rosmanizan Abdullah

doi:10.67795/ijomest.v1i2.25

Authors

Hooi Peng Lim Politeknik Ibrahim Sultan, Malaysia Author https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3112-1940
Limi Chong Politeknik Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia Author
Ida Rosmanizan Abdullah Politeknik Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.67795/ijomest.v1i2.25

Keywords:

Evaporation System, Hydrogel, Irradiation, Absorbent and Water, Mass Loss

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of developing a chitosan-derived graphene hydrogel for a solar evaporation system. The hydrogel was prepared in two types, i.e. flat-surface and hemispherical-surface hydrogels. The system consisted of a chitosan-derived embedded graphene hydrogel, a cotton wipe, and a thermal insulator. The system was then tested using a solar simulator to investigate the effect of varying irradiation times from 1 to 12 hours. The morphology of the hydrogel was characterised using an inverted microscope before and after irradiation for 1 and 12 hours, respectively. The experimental test includes temperature distribution and water mass loss for the samples before and after irradiation for 1 and 12 hours. The resultant findings provide useful data on the evaporation system efficiency under the simulated conditions. It was reported that the hemispherical-surface hydrogel reached a lower temperature distribution of 52 °C than the flat-surface hydrogel at 57 °C. The water mass loss of the hemispherical-surface hydrogel is as low as -1.22 g, indicating a higher evaporation rate of 0.09205 kgm−2 h−1 than the flat-surface hydrogel of -1.48 g and 0.04568 kgm−2 h−1, respectively. This study reveals that a lower total water mass loss can occur alongside a higher evaporation rate when the surface area exposed to air is very small, as in a hemispherical-surface hydrogel.

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