Open AccessStructure Architecting for Salt‐Rejecting Solar Interfacial Desalination to Achieve High‐Performance Evaporation With In Situ Energy Generation
Author(s) -
Zhang Yaoxin,
Xiong Ting,
Nandakumar Dilip Krishna,
Tan Swee Ching
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
advanced science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.388
H-Index - 100
ISSN - 2198-3844
DOI - 10.1002/advs.201903478
Subject(s) - desalination , evaporation , process engineering , nanotechnology , materials science , solar desalination , solar energy , photothermal therapy , environmental science , engineering , chemistry , meteorology , electrical engineering , biochemistry , physics , membrane
The past few years have witnessed a rapid development of solar‐driven interfacial evaporation, a promising technology for low‐cost water desalination. As of today, solar‐to‐steam conversion efficiencies close to 100% or even beyond the limit are becoming increasingly achievable in virtue of unique photothermal materials and structures. Herein, the cutting‐edge approaches are summarized, and their mechanisms for photothermal structure architecting are uncovered in order to achieve ultrahigh conversion efficiency. Design principles to enhance evaporation performance and currently available salt‐rejection strategies for long‐term desalination are systematically investigated. The guidelines to utilize every component in solar desalination systems for simultaneous in situ energy generation are also revealed. Finally, opportunities and challenges for future works in this field are also discussed and concluded.