3D-Printed, All-in-One Evaporator for High-Efficiency Solar Steam Generation under 1 Sun Illumination.

TL;DR: In this paper, a new composite material, tannic acid@aminopropyltriethoxysilane@Fe3+ composite coating, with multifunctional performance has been developed for solar steam generation.

Abstract: Solar steam generation, a sustainable water‐purification technology, holds substantial promise in resolving the global issue of shortage of drinkable water. Here, the design, fabrication, and high‐performance of an innovative 3D solar steamer, offering synergistic high‐efficiency steaming and heavy metal removal functions are reported. The device is made of synthesized carbon‐molybdenum‐disulfide microbeads electrostatically assembled on a 3D polyurethane sponge. The mesoporous composite sponge also serves as a freestanding water reservoir that avoids one‐side contact to bulk water, effectively suppressing the commonly observed parasitic heat loss, and offering a high energy efficiency of 88%. When being sculpted into a 3D spoke‐like structure, the composite sponge achieves one of the highest evaporation rates of 1.95 kg m−2 h−1 at 1 sun. The solar steamer is demonstrated for water treatment, i.e., decontamination of metal ions, disinfection, and reducing alkalinity and hardness of river water. Particularly, the strong mercury adsorption of MoS2 reduces mercury levels from 200 to 1 ppb, meeting the stringent standard set by the Environmental Protection Agency, which is the first demonstration of mercury‐removal powered by solar energy. The unique design, fabrication, water‐handling strategy, and mercury‐removal function of this high‐performance solar steamer can inspire new paradigms of water treatment technologies.

TL;DR: In this article, a polypyrrole (PPy)-wood device has been prepared through a simple "soak and polymerization" process by in situ polymerization of pyrrole monomers into a three-dimensional (3D) porous wood matrix.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors briefly discuss the photothermal applications of 2D nanomaterials including photothermal therapy, water evaporation, thermochemical reactions, electrostatic lithography, catalysis, light-driven actuation, photothermal electrodes, energy storage, wearable heaters and wound healing.

TL;DR: Development of an approach and corresponding material structure for solar steam generation while maintaining low optical concentration and keeping the bulk liquid at low temperature with no vacuum, which provides a novel approach to harvesting solar energy for a broad range of phase-change applications.

TL;DR: Inkjet printing has been used as a free-form fabrication method for building three-dimensional parts and is being explored as a way of printing electrical and optical devices, especially where these involve organic components.

TL;DR: This review article focuses on recent advances in 3D printed bone tissue engineering scaffolds along with current challenges and future directions.

TL;DR: A new epoxy-based ink is reported, which enables 3D printing of lightweight cellular composites with controlled alignment of multiscale, high-aspectratio fiber reinforcement to create hierarchical structures inspired by balsa wood.