Now, scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a new three-dimensional (3D) structure that significantly improves the efficiency of this technology to convert seawater to drinking water.

>The structure contains tightly linked polymer chains with hollow shelled structures that provide a record evaporation 8.5 times higher than rates previously reported for the technology.

This unique structure maximises sunlight capture and decreases the energy consumption for evaporation by nearly 50 per cent, scientists say.

This structure exhibits 90.2 per cent broadband solar absorption and reduces the energy consumption of evaporation by 45.7 per cent,” scientists wrote in the study published in the journal Advanced Materials.