Nanotechnology-driven Advances in Solar Desalination for Water Sustainability

The field of solar desalination is rapidly evolving as global concerns around water scarcity intensify due to growing populations, shifting climates, and urban expansion. Traditionally, technologies such as reverse osmosis and thermal distillation have been at the forefront of desalination, yet their high energy consumption and potential ecological footprints have spurred the search for more sustainable solutions. Solar-powered desalination has emerged as an attractive, low-carbon alternative, leveraging abundant renewable energy. Nonetheless, existing solar desalination methods often face persistent challenges, including limited efficiency in solar-to-vapor conversion, salt accumulation, and difficulties surrounding device scalability and longevity. Recent breakthroughs in nanotechnology—including advanced photothermal nanomaterials, nano-engineered membranes, and functionalized surfaces—are revolutionizing light management, heat localization, and anti-fouling, providing a strong impetus for innovation. Furthermore, the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning into experimental and design workflows is accelerating nanomaterial discovery and system optimization. Although foundational advances exist, the comprehensive application of nanotechnology in solar desalination, especially at system and field scales, remains underexplored, signaling a need for multidisciplinary research to realize the full promise of these solutions.This Research Topic aims to consolidate leading-edge research that leverages the unique attributes of nanomaterials to overcome bottlenecks in solar desalination technology. The goal is to elucidate how nano-engineered architectures—including photothermal coatings, plasmonic nanostructures, and advanced membranes—can be conceived and implemented to significantly improve water yield, energy conversion, device robustness, and operational sustainability. Central to this aim is the deployment of AI and machine learning frameworks for nanomaterial design, synthesis, structure–function optimization, and as predictive tools to maximize the performance of both solar steam generation and membrane-based desalination processes. Contributions are especially sought that deepen mechanistic insight into the interplay of light, heat, and mass transfer in nanostructured systems, propose innovative device and system configurations, and rigorously benchmark system performance using robust metrics, sustainability criteria, and techno-economic analysis, while charting a pathway from laboratory innovation to scalable, field-ready solutions.This Research Topic encompasses both fundamental and applied studies, combining experimental, theoretical, and computational approaches, as well as integrative reviews. The research scope is centered on the role of nanotechnology in driving progress within solar desalination, while also considering AI-guided methods and system-level integration. To gather further insights in nano-enabled solar desalination for sustainable water production, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes: - Design, synthesis, and characterization of advanced photothermal, plasmonic, and semiconductor nanomaterials for interfacial steam generation and solar energy conversion. - Development and application of nano-engineered membranes and interfaces, including 2D materials, for enhanced membrane distillation and hybrid desalination systems. - Implementation of AI/ML techniques for the inverse design and performance optimization of nanomaterials and desalination devices. - Multiphysics and data-driven modeling, simulation, and optimization of nano-enabled systems including coupling with thermal storage and hybrid renewable energy. - Innovation in hybrid system architectures, including PV-thermal-membrane distillation and concurrent desalination and pollutant removal using nano-photocatalysis. - Holistic life cycle assessment, environmental sustainability, techno-economic analysis, and advanced brine management for nano-enabled systems. - Field studies, case reports, and critical reviews on real-world deployment, regulatory challenges, and societal impacts of nanotechnology-enhanced solar desalination. Topic editors: Maatouk Khoukhi, Omar J. Al-khatib, Khaled A. Al-Sallal Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80573/nanotechnology-driven-advances-in-solar-desalination-for-water-sustainability