Structure development of carbon-based solar-driven water evaporation systems

Wen He; Lei Zhou; Miao Wang; Yang Cao; Xuemei Chen; Xu Hou

doi:10.1016/j.scib.2021.02.014

Structure development of carbon-based solar-driven water evaporation systems

Sci Bull (Beijing). 2021 Jul 30;66(14):1472-1483. doi: 10.1016/j.scib.2021.02.014. Epub 2021 Mar 4.

Authors

Wen He¹, Lei Zhou², Miao Wang³, Yang Cao⁴, Xuemei Chen⁵, Xu Hou⁶

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
² Research Institute for Biomimetics and Soft Matter, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Soft Functional Materials Research, Jiujiang Research Institute, College of Physical Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
³ College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China. Electronic address: miaowang@xmu.edu.cn.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Tan Kah Kee Innovation Laboratory, Xiamen 361102, China. Electronic address: yangcao@xmu.edu.cn.
⁵ MIIT Key Laboratory of Thermal Control of Electronic Equipment, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China. Electronic address: xuemeichen@njust.edu.cn.
⁶ State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Research Institute for Biomimetics and Soft Matter, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory for Soft Functional Materials Research, Jiujiang Research Institute, College of Physical Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China; Tan Kah Kee Innovation Laboratory, Xiamen 361102, China. Electronic address: houx@xmu.edu.cn.

PMID: 36654373
DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2021.02.014

Abstract

Pressing need goes ahead for accessing freshwater in insufficient supply countries and regions, which will become a restrictive factor for human development and production. In recent years, solar-driven water evaporation (SDWE) systems have attracted increasing attention for their specialty in no consume conventional energy, pollution-free, and the high purity of fresh water. In particular, carbon-based photothermal conversion materials are preferred light-absorbing material for SDWE systems because of their wide range of spectrum absorption and high photothermal conversion efficiency based on super-conjugate effect. Until now, many carbon-based SDWE systems have been reported, and various structures emerged and were designed to enhance light absorption, optimize heat management, and improve the efficient water transport path. In this review, we attempt to give a comprehensive summary and discussions of structure progress of the carbon-based SDWE systems and their working mechanisms, including carbon nanoparticles systems, single-layer photothermal membrane systems, bi-layer structural photothermal systems, porous carbon-based materials systems, and three dimensional (3D) systems. In these systems, the latest 3D systems can expand the light path by allowing light to be reflected multiple times in the microcavity to increase the light absorption rate, and its large heat exchange area can prompt more water to evaporate, which makes them the promising application foreground. We hope our review can spark the probing of underlying principles and inspiring design strategies of these carbon-based SDWE systems, and further guide device optimizations, eventually promoting in extensive practical applications in the future.

Keywords: Carbon-based evaporator; Desalination; Photothermal conversion; Solar-driven; Structure development.

Publication types

Review