Wood-Based Solar Interface Evaporation Device with Self-Desalting and High Antibacterial Activity for Efficient Solar Steam Generation

Abstract

The main challenges of a solar steam generation device based on biomass materials are complicated processing techniques and relatively low efficiency. To solve these problems, we reported a simple immersion treatment method by depositing polydopamine (PDA) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on natural wood to prepare a novel solar interface evaporation device. Ag-PDA@wood exhibits a unique bilayer structure. The absorbance of the top light absorption layer is higher than 96% in a wide wavelength range (300−2500 nm). Owing to the synergistic photothermal effect between PDA and AgNPs, Ag-PDA@ wood has ultrafast solar−thermal response (a temperature increase of 42.5 °C within 5 min under 1 sun), and more heat is located at the steam generation interface (the surface temperature is 45.1 °C). The natural wood layer at the bottom with low thermal conductivity provides sufficient water supply and reduces the bulk heat loss. A high evaporation rate of 1.58 kg m −2 h −1 is achieved using Ag-PDA@wood under 1 sun (1 kW m −2 ). Its evaporation efficiency reaches 88.6%. The results upon sewage treatment and seawater desalination indicate that Ag-PDA@wood has an excellent purification ability and self-desalting capacity. More importantly, when compared to traditional solar evaporators, Ag-PDA@wood exhibits high antibacterial activity. The result of this antibacterial experiment shows that this material almost completely kills harmful bacteria. Therefore, Ag-PDA@wood has a high application potential in seawater desalination and sewage purification, providing a significant incentive to solve the problem of insufficient freshwater supply.

Multifunctional Hydrothermal‐Carbonized Sugarcane for Highly Efficient Direct Solar Steam Generation

“…Meanwhile, the vibrations of OH, CO, and CO were observed at 3200–3700, 1617, and 1052 cm −1 , respectively. [ 24 ] Compared with natural sugarcane, the hydrophilic groups of hydrothermal carbonization sugarcane decreased. This was due to the dehydration and carbonization of partial cellulose in sugarcane by hydrothermal treatment.…”

Biomimetic Ultra‐Black Sponge Derived from Loofah and Co‐MOF for Long‐Term Solar‐Powered Vapor Generation and Desalination

“…Solar‐powered vapor generation and desalination, which is an economical strategy that mainly utilizes solar energy and ultra‐black materials with efficient light absorption and photothermal conversion properties in solar band, is used to powerfully accelerate the evaporation of water and collect water and thereby solve the crises of drinking water shortage and water pollutions. [ 18–21 ] In the last few years, some evaporators based on different photothermal materials such as metal nanoparticles, [ 22–26 ] semiconductors, [ 27–30 ] polymers, [ 31–35 ] carbon materials, [ 36–48 ] and MXene [ 49–52 ] have been reported. However, most evaporators with high water evaporation rates and photothermal conversion efficiencies have some limitations in practical application scenarios, such as the use of expensive metals (Au and Ag) to enhance light absorption and photothermal conversion, strict and complex preparation processes to achieve microstructural control, and poor durability when used for solar‐powered desalination.…”

Research on Local Heating Regeneration Method for Air-Conditioning Systems

“…Behera et al proposed an ultra-broadband absorption method for higher efficiency [34]. Yang et al studied a wood-based solar interface evaporation device for efficient solar steam generation [35]. Zhang et al proposed an MoS 2 nanosheet-carbon foam composite for solar steam generation [36].…”