Interdisciplinary Hybrid Solar-Driven Evaporators: Theoretical Framework of Fundamental Mechanisms and Applications

The global water and energy crisis seems to be mitigated with promising prospects of emerging interdisciplinary hybrid solar-driven evaporator technology (IHSE). However, the lack of numeric standards for comparison between enormously reported systems and the synergistic effects of interdisciplinary hybridization remains a significant challenge. To entice researchers from various domains to collaborate on the design of a system for realistic, large-scale applications, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the interdisciplinary approaches to IHSE from the domains of physics, chemistry, materials science, and engineering, along with their guiding principles and underlying challenges. First, an in-depth analysis of IHSE with the basic scientific foundations and current advancements in recent years is discussed. Then, the physical principles/scientific principles alongside the overall system improvement enhancement techniques at the macro and micro scale are highlighted. Furthermore, the review analyzes the impact of significant physical factors that alter or restrict the efficiency of IHSE, as well as their connection and potential regulation. In addition, a comprehensive study of emerging sustainable applications for insight into the design and optimization of IHSE is provided for scientists from different fields. Lastly, the current challenges and future perspectives of interdisciplinary IHSE for large-scale applications are emphasized.