Prof. Deli Wu’s Team Published in Advanced Materials:Thermodynamically Self-Assembly Hydration-Cycle Crystals for Multidimensional Off-Grid Water-Energy Nexus

Recently, the research team led by Prof. Deli Wu from CESE published their latest findings in Advanced Materials. Inspired by the molecular glue ligand mechanism, this study developed an environmentally friendly Regenerative Hydrated Coordination Scaffold (RHCS). Its unique bilayer structure, synergistically stabilized by hydrogen bonds and ionic coordination, enables self-assembly into a superhydrophilic material under mild conditions. RHCS achieves efficient interfacial water regulation through a dynamic hydrogen-bonding network, significantly reducing evaporation energy consumption while demonstrating exceptional cycling stability. Leveraging solar or waste-heat-driven reversible dissociation-reassembly processes, RHCS exhibits outstanding salt tolerance and evaporation efficiency in desalination applications. The accompanying modular evaporation device enables efficient water-heat synergy management while circumventing the high energy consumption of conventional technologies. This technology provides an innovative solution for sustainable water-energy systems through closed-loop material regeneration and green processing.

Article Link:

https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/adma.202504614