Wood-based solar steam generation devices (W-SSGDs) show great promise for desalination and wastewater treatment because they are inexpensive and sustainable. Technical methods for enhancing the efficiency of W-SSGDs have, so far, mainly focused on the optimization of solar-to-thermal conversion efficiency, whereas the properties of the wood matrix have been ignored. Here, we have designed a strategy using deep eutectic solvents to remove lignin from bulk wood in situ for the fabrication of a high-performance W-SSGD (DW-SSGD). Wood delignification increases the water transportation capacity while reducing thermal conductivity and conductive heat loss in the wood matrix. The improved properties of delignified wood allowed us to construct a high-performance DW-SSGD with a steam generation efficiency of 89% and an evaporation rate as high as 1.3 kg m −2 h −1 at 1 sun (100 mW cm −2 ). To the best of our knowledge, the performance reported here is the highest for a W-SSGD under one solar irradiation.
Wood-based solar steam generation devices (W-SSGDs) show great promise for desalination and wastewater treatment since they are cheap and sustainable. The fabrication of green, sustainable and efficient solar-to-thermal materials for use in W-SSGDs, however, remains a challenge. Here, we have developed coordination complexes between Fe 3+ and naturally occurring phenolic compounds as solarto-thermal materials. The as-prepared solar-to-thermal material prepared by coordinating Fe 3+ with catechin showed wide optical absorbance and efficient conversion efficiency, and was stable under different pH conditions. The good photothermal properties of this as-prepared solar-to-thermal material allowed us to construct a high performance W-SSGD that had a steam generation efficiency of 54.32%and an evaporation rate as high as 0.9204 kg m À2 h À1 .
Bioplastics (BPs) prepared from lignocellulose are an
excellent
replacement for petrochemical-plastics (PCPs) due to their renewability
and biodegradability. The presence of residual/added/regenerated lignin
reduced the water sensitivity; however, these BPs possessed a deep
color and low transmittance and were prone to photodegradation. Herein,
we developed a UV- and water-insensitive, colorless, transparent,
and sustainable wood-derived BP (W-BP) by pressing delignified wood
(DW) with 0.21% lignin and abundant hydrophobic crystal plane (200)
of cellulose. The DW was obtained by the pretreatment of the wood
sample with NaOH/Na2SO3 followed by H2O2 steam conditioning. The abundant hydrophobic crystal
plane (200) of cellulose in DW was demonstrated by a large ratio of
the crystal plane (200) to (110), the presence of two-dimensional
(2D) nanosheets of defibrated cellulose, and a low moisture uptake
of 8.7% of the freeze-dried DW. The aged W-BP with a thickness of
about 50 μm displayed good photostability with a ΔE* value of 2.3 and a transparency of 84% transmittance
at 550 nm. Additionally, W-BP also possessed water stability with
a wet tensile strength of 74 MPa and a low water uptake of 28.3%.
These values exceeded those of lignocellulosic BPs and some commercial
PCPs. The W-BP could replace transparent PCPs and provide indirectly
experimental support to the lignin–cellulose interaction.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.