All forms of energy follow the law of conservation of energy, by which they can be neither created nor destroyed. Light-to-heat conversion as a traditional yet constantly evolving means of converting light into thermal energy has been of enduring appeal to researchers and the public. With the continuous development of advanced nanotechnologies, a variety of photothermal nanomaterials have been endowed with excellent light harvesting and photothermal conversion capabilities for exploring fascinating and prospective applications. Herein we review the latest progresses on photothermal nanomaterials, with a focus on their underlying mechanisms as powerful light-to-heat converters. We present an extensive catalogue of nanostructured photothermal materials, including metallic/semiconductor structures, carbon materials, organic polymers, and two-dimensional materials. The proper material selection and rational structural design for improving the photothermal performance are then discussed. We also provide a representative overview of the latest techniques for probing photothermally generated heat at the nanoscale. We finally review the recent significant developments of photothermal applications and give a brief outlook on the current challenges and future directions of photothermal nanomaterials.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00159

Photothermal Nanomaterials: A Powerful Light-to-Heat Converter

Solar-driven water evaporation has been considered a sustainable method to obtain clean water through desalination. However, its further application is limited by the complicated preparation strategy, poor salt rejection, and durability. Herein, inspired by superfast water transportation of the Nepenthes alata peristome surface and continuous bridge-arch design in architecture, a biomimetic 3D bridge-arch solar evaporator is proposed to induce Marangoni flow for long-term salt rejection. The formed double-layer 3D liquid film on the evaporator is composed of a confined water film for water supplementation and a free-flowing water film with ultrafast directional Marangoni convection for salt rejection, which functions cooperatively to endow the 3D evaporator with all-in-one function including superior solar-driven water evaporation (1.64 kg m-2 h-1 , 91% efficiency for pure water), efficient solar desalination, and long-term salt-rejecting property (continuous 200 h in 10 wt% saline water) without any post-cleaning treatment. The design principle of the 3D structures is provided for extending the application of Marangoni-driven salt rejection and the investigation of structure-design-induced liquid film control in the solar desalination field. Furthermore, excellent mechanical and chemical stability is proved, where a self-sustainable and solar-powered desalination-cultivation platform is developed, indicating promising application for agricultural cultivation.

3D Printing a Biomimetic Bridge-Arch Solar Evaporator for Eliminating Salt Accumulation with Desalination and Agricultural Applications.

Solar desalination holds significant promise for the water-energy nexus. Recent advances in passive solar desalination using thermal localization show great potential for high-efficiency freshwater production, which is particularly beneficial for areas without well-established water and energy infrastructure. However, there is a significant knowledge gap between laboratory scale innovation and commercial adoption. In this review, we discuss two critical factors – water production and reliability – which, if addressed systematically, could enable high-performance thermally-localized solar desalination systems. We show that optimizing heat and mass transfer of the entire device and recycling the latent heat of condensation are important to enhance total water production. Meanwhile, we discuss the potential of novel system architectures and fluid flow engineering to enable anti-fouling and robust desalination devices. In addition, we present techno-economic analysis that highlights the balance between water production, reliability, and cost. A criterion for economic feasibility is provided by comparing the price of desalinated water with commercially available bottle and tap water, which provides a roadmap for future development of solar desalination technologies.

/pdf/passive-high-efficiency-thermally-localized-solar-471y80yutn.pdf

Passive, high-efficiency thermally-localized solar desalination

Solar Water Evaporation Toward Water Purification and Beyond

In the last decade, interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG), powered by natural sunlight garnered significant attention due to its great potential for low-cost and environmentally friendly clean water production in alignment with the global decarbonization efforts. In this review, we aim to share the knowledge and engage with a broader readership about the current progress of ISSG technology and the facing challenges to promote further advancements towards practical applications. The first part of this review assesses the current strategies for enhancing energy efficiency of ISSG systems, including optimizing light absorption, reducing energy losses, harvesting additional energy, and lowering evaporation enthalpy. Subsequently, we elucidate the current challenges faced by ISSG technologies, notably salt accumulation and bio-fouling issues in practical applications and discuss contemporary methods to overcome these challenges. In the end, we introduce potential applications of ISSG, ranging from initial seawater desalination and industrial wastewater purification to power generation, sterilization, soil remediation, and innovative concept of solar sea farm, highlighting the promising potential of ISSG technology in contributing to sustainable and environmentally conscious practices. Based on the review and in-depth understanding of these aspects, we propose the future research focuses to address potential issues in both fundamental research and practical applications. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Interfacial Solar Evaporation: from Fundamental Research to Applications.

Solar-based water sanitation is an environmentally friendly process for obtaining clean water that requires efficient light-to-heat-to-vapour generation. Solar-driven interfacial evaporation has potential, but the inability to control interfacial evaporators for solar tracking limits efficiency at large solar zenith angles and when using optical concentration. Furthermore, clogging affects the efficiency of the device. Here, we create a super-wicking and super-light-absorbing (SWSA) aluminium surface for efficient solar-based water sanitation. The measured evaporation rate exceeds that of an ideal device operating at 100% efficiency, which we hypothesize resulted from a reduced enthalpy of vaporization within the microcapillaries. Limited solar absorber–water contact for water transport minimizes heat losses to bulk water and maximizes heat localization at the SWSA surface. The device can be mounted at any angle on a floating platform to optimize incident solar irradiance and can readily be integrated with commercial solar-thermal systems. With a design that is analogous to bifacial photovoltaic solar panels, we show a 150% increase in efficiency compared with a single-sided SWSA. Given the open capillary channels, the device surface can be easily cleaned and reused. Using the SWSA surface to purify contaminated water, we show a decrease in the level of contaminants to well below the WHO and EPA standards for drinkable water. Solar-driven interfacial evaporation can be a sustainable process to obtain clean water but device efficiency and simplicity need improving. This study presents a super-wicking and super-light-absorbing aluminium surface with increased efficiency, a simple structure and strong performance.

/pdf/solar-trackable-super-wicking-black-metal-panel-for-5di6v7jjgy.pdf

Solar-trackable super-wicking black metal panel for photothermal water sanitation

Wastewater recycling could be part of an environmentally feasible solution to an increasing global water crisis. In a recent work, we made a push toward that end, introducing a super-wicking, super-light-absorbing solar trackable panel for water sanitation.

Superwicking Black Metal Surface for Solar-Thermal Water Sanitation

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Solar-trackable super-wicking black metal panel for photothermal water sanitation

Superwicking Black Metal Surface for Solar-Thermal Water Sanitation