After 80 years, Bodao invented new materials to break through the challenges of high-efficiency solar desalination technology

Dr. Stanford of the United States graduated and obtained a prestigious post in the United States, but he gave up a million dollars in salary. After the 1980s, “Youth Thousand Talents Program” expert, Professor Zhu Jia from Nanjing University, invented nano-new materials after returning home in 2013. He was called “Can quench the thirst for the world” by international authoritative magazine “Science” and is expected to bring high-efficiency solar desalination. Industry breakthrough.

Not long ago, Nanjing University and Jiangsu Sheyang Economic Development Zone formally signed a contract. Prof. Zhu Jia's “high-efficiency solar desalination” technology was successfully transformed and a desalination production line with 500 tons of purified water per day will be built.

Professor Zhu Jia, a professor and doctoral tutor of the School of Modern Engineering and Applied Science, Nanjing University: The most appealing aspect of this technology is that I do not need other energy. I only need sunlight and water. This water can basically be any kind of water quality, sea water, saline water, brackish water or domestic sewage. With our material, I can provide very clean drinking water.

Zhu Jia, a Ph.D. graduate from Stanford University in the United States, is at the forefront of research on nanomaterials and solar energy conversion. In 2013, he received a teaching position at a prestigious school in the United States, but he chose to give up his million-dollar salary.

Zhu Jia: If you can see in the United States that you have a car, two children, and stable income, you feel that this is not enough excitement. Americans think this is their home. We feel that this is not where we can really stay forever.

When he learned that the country was in short supply of talent in the field of new energy and new materials, his alma mater, Nanjing University, would establish a new modern engineering college. He chose to return to the country. At that time, what impressed him most was his remarks made by Academician Zhu Shining.

Prof. Zhu Shining, a professor at Nanjing University and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that you should think about how our revolutionary predecessors created a modern country like China. After the Yangtze River pushed forward, you have to come back and get involved.

Zhu Jia: Changes in the United States in the decade or two are very inconspicuous. China is constantly moving forward. This decade and 20 years have seen tremendous changes. Our country has real needs here. From a new energy point of view, from an environmental point of view, we really need to learn to use. I think this is a very exciting point.

After being selected as a national “Year for Thousand Talents” program, Zhu Jia became a professor and doctoral supervisor directly at the age of 31, and continued to study the use of nanomaterials in the energy direction. In a coating experiment, a golden sided black material unexpectedly appeared after gold plating. After half a year of repeated experimental demonstration and research mechanism principles, Zhu Jia's team discovered the world's most absorbing nano-metal materials, also known as nano-black gold.

Zhu Jia: From the visible light to the infrared, 99% or more of absorption basically absorbs light. Such a large bandwidth, and then absorbed so strong, we have been pursuing this direction, but no one has achieved it.

Zhu Jia found that the powerful light-heat conversion capability of nano-black gold is particularly suitable for solar desalination. Spreading the material on the surface of the water can quickly evaporate the water on the surface, and the water vapor continuously emerges. The collected water can be directly used for drinking.

Zhu Jia: After rigorous testing, our water quality has reached the standards of drinking water of the World Health Organization and our country.

Today, Zhu Jia's team is constantly innovating to develop a low-cost, collapsible, portable water purification device that can convert seawater and sewage into drinking water whenever and wherever the sun is needed. Not only does not need to build a large-scale water treatment plant, does not cause the energy consumption, but also doubles the traditional solar energy conversion efficiency, makes the industrialization of high-efficiency solar water desalination become possible.

Zhu Jia: We are now in line with the national strategic needs of the “One Belt and One Road”. Many along the Silk Road and along the Maritime Silk Road are deserts or islands and oceans. Using the local sunlight and local water sources to provide clean water, I actually want huge demand.

The top academic journal "Science" reported that his "new water purification technology can quench the thirst for the world". Organizations in Vietnam, Pakistan, and other countries also have letters to inquiries. Zhu Jia has therefore been selected as the "Technology Pioneer" for the list of 35 innovators under the age of 35 selected by the MIT Technology Review last year.

Zhu Shining: In the future, what is most likely to be missing on the earth is clean water. You don't want to see much sea water, but it is all over the sea, but it cannot be used directly and it cannot be used directly. His technique, this material, is a transformative technology. High efficiency, no pollution to the environment, how to combine our scientific research results with the needs of the country, a group of such young people are growing rapidly, and assume more and more important tasks in scientific research.