A 3D‐Structured Sustainable Solar‐Driven Steam Generator Using Super‐Black Nylon Flocking Materials

• Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Vol. 15; no. 37; pp. e1902070 - n/a
• Main Authors: Tu, Ce, Cai, Wenfu, Chen, Xue, Ouyang, Xiaolong, Zhang, Hui, Zhang, Zhong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.09.2019
• Subjects: 3D designs; Boilers; Desalination; Endurance; Evaporation; Evaporation rate; Fresh water; Graphene; high evaporation rate; Hydrogels; Latent heat; Nanomaterials; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology; Seawater; self‐dissolution of salt; Solar energy; solar‐driven evaporation; Steam generation; vertically aligned arrays; solar-driven evaporation; vertically aligned arrays; high evaporation rate; self-dissolution of salt; 3D designs
• ISSN: 1613-6810; 1613-6829
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.201902070

Solar‐driven evaporation is a promising way of using abundant solar energy for desalinating polluted water or seawater, which addresses the challenge of global fresh water scarcity. Cost‐effectiveness and durability are key factors for practical solar‐driven evaporation technology. The present cutting‐edge techniques mostly rely on costly and complex fabricated nanomaterials, such as metallic nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanoporous hydrogels, graphene, and graphene derivatives. Herein, a black nylon fiber (BNF) flocking board with a vertically aligned array prepared via a convenient electrostatic flocking technique is reported, presenting an extremely high solar absorbance (99.6%), a water self‐supply capability, and a unique salt self‐dissolution capability for seawater desalination. Through a carefully designed 3D structure, a plug‐in‐type BNF flocking board steam generator realizes a high evaporation rate of 2.09 kg m−2 h−1 under 1 kW m−2 solar illumination, well beyond its corresponding upper limit of 1.50 kg m−2 h−1 (assuming 100% solar energy is being used for evaporation latent heat). With the advantages of high‐efficiency fabrication, cost‐effectiveness, high evaporation rate, and high endurance in seawater desalination, this 3D design provides a new strategy to build up an economic, sustainable, and rapid solar‐driven steam generation system. Black nylon fiber (BNF) flocking board with a vertically aligned array is prepared via a convenient electrostatic flocking technique. Through a carefully designed 3D structure, simultaneously a combination of high solar absorbance and wicking capillary, a plug‐in‐type BNF flocking board solar‐driven evaporation generator realizes a high evaporation rate of 2.09 kg m−2 h−1 under 1 kW m−2 solar illumination.