Chen Qiang, Choi Minwoo, Chen Haomin, Kim Jin, Qin Caiyan, Ham Youngjin, Choi Myungwoo, Zeng Haibo, Shin Jonghwa, Lee Bong Jae, Jeon Seokwoo
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
Nano Lett. 2024 Aug 28;24(34):10583-10591. doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c02742. Epub 2024 Aug 13.
As global freshwater shortages worsen, solar steam generation (SSG) emerges as a promising, eco-friendly, and cost-effective solution for water purification. However, widespread SSG implementation requires efficient photothermal materials and solar evaporators that integrate enhanced light-to-heat conversion, rapid water transportation, and optimal thermal management. This study investigates using nonoxidized graphene flakes (NOGF) with negligible defects as photothermal materials capable of absorbing over 98% of sunlight. By combining NOGF with cellulose nanofibers (CNF) through bidirectional freeze casting, we created a vertically and radially aligned solar evaporator. The hybrid aerogel exhibited exceptional solar absorption, efficient solar-to-thermal conversion, and improved surface wettability. Inspired by tree structures, our design ensures rapid water supply while minimizing heat loss. With low NOGF content (∼10.0%), the NOGF/CNF aerogel achieves a solar steam generation rate of 2.39 kg m h with an energy conversion efficiency of 93.7% under 1-sun illumination, promising applications in seawater desalination and wastewater purification.
随着全球淡水短缺问题日益严重,太阳能蒸汽发生(SSG)作为一种有前景、环保且经济高效的水净化解决方案应运而生。然而,要广泛实施SSG,需要高效的光热材料和太阳能蒸发器,这些材料和蒸发器要具备增强的光热转换、快速的水传输以及优化的热管理能力。本研究探讨使用缺陷可忽略不计的非氧化石墨烯薄片(NOGF)作为能够吸收超过98%太阳光的光热材料。通过双向冷冻铸造将NOGF与纤维素纳米纤维(CNF)相结合,我们制造出了一种垂直和径向排列的太阳能蒸发器。这种混合气凝胶展现出卓越的太阳能吸收、高效的太阳能到热能转换以及改善的表面润湿性。受树木结构启发,我们的设计确保了快速供水,同时将热损失降至最低。在低NOGF含量(约10.0%)的情况下,NOGF/CNF气凝胶在1个太阳光照下实现了2.39 kg m² h⁻¹的太阳能蒸汽产生速率,能量转换效率为93.7%,在海水淡化和废水净化方面具有广阔的应用前景。