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Carbonized Bamboos as Excellent 3D Solar Vapor‐Generation Devices
Author(s) -
Bian Yue,
Du Qianqian,
Tang Kun,
Shen Yang,
Hao Licai,
Zhou Dong,
Wang Xiaokun,
Xu Zhonghua,
Zhang Huiling,
Zhao Lijuan,
Zhu Shunming,
Ye Jiandong,
Lu Hai,
Yang Yi,
Zhang Rong,
Zheng Youdou,
Gu Shulin
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
advanced materials technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.184
H-Index - 42
ISSN - 2365-709X
DOI - 10.1002/admt.201800593
Subject(s) - carbonization , bamboo , vaporization , materials science , water vapor , evaporation , thermal , environmental science , chemical engineering , composite material , chemistry , meteorology , engineering , scanning electron microscope , physics , organic chemistry
Given the global challenges of water scarcity, solar‐driven vapor generation has become a renewed topic as an energy‐efficient way for clean water production. Here, it is revealed that bamboo, as a natural hierarchical cellular material, can be an excellent 3D solar vapor‐generation device by a simple carbonization progress. A floating carbonized bamboo sample evaporates water with an extremely high vapor‐generation rate of 3.13 kg m −2 h −1 under 1 sun illumination. The high evaporation rate is achieved by the unique natural structure of bamboos. The inner wall of bamboo recovers the diffuse light energy and the thermal radiation heat loss from the 3D bamboo bottom, and the outer wall captures energy from the warmer environment. The high evaporation rate is also attributed to reduced vaporization enthalpy of water confined in the bamboo mesh. Such bamboo‐based high‐performance, low‐cost, self‐cleaning, solid durable, and scalable 3D vapor‐generation device has attractive applications in desalination as well as industrial and domestic wastewater abatement.