Zwitterionic hydrogel coated superhydrophilic hierarchical antifouling floater enables unimpeded interfacial steam generation and multi-contamination resistance in complex conditions

Continuous water pumping and steam generation are key factors in long-term solar-driven evaporation for fresh water production. However, current solar desalination devices easily get contaminated by salt accumulation, oil spill or marine fouling in real-world applications, causing blockage, corrosion or even invalidation. Developing antifouling coatings that can protect the devices from multi-contamination is a superior option to guarantee the...