Superhydrophilic Interconnected Biomass-Based Absorbers Toward High-Speed Evaporation for Solar Steam Generation

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Solar-powered interface evaporation is a key technology for freshwater production.
• Salt solid formation during evaporation hinders continuous operation of solar steam generators.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a photothermal material with inherent salt self-resistance for enhanced solar steam generation.
• To design a stable and efficient solar evaporator capable of continuous operation.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a superhydrophilic interconnected biomass carbon absorber (SBCA) via freeze-drying and carbonization.
• Characterization of material properties including light absorption, porosity, and hydrophilicity.
• Testing the evaporation performance and salt resistance of the fabricated device under simulated solar irradiation.

Main Results:

• The SBCA exhibited broadband light absorption (94.91%) and high porosity (95.9%).
• The device achieved an excellent evaporation rate of 2.45 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ under 1 kW m⁻² solar irradiation.
• No salt deposition was observed on the SBCA surface after 15 hours of continuous operation, demonstrating effective salt self-resistance.

Conclusions:

• The developed SBCA material offers a promising strategy for efficient and stable solar steam generation.
• The material's design facilitates strong liquid pumping and self-blocking of salt, overcoming a major limitation in solar evaporation.
• This approach provides a convenient, low-cost, and efficient method for clean water acquisition using solar energy.