A robust starch–polyacrylamide hydrogel with scavenging energy harvesting capacity for efficient solar thermoelectricity–freshwater cogeneration

Abstract

Simultaneous production of clean water and electricity using solar energy has been proposed as a promising solution to water scarcity and electricity shortage. Here, we design a thermoelectricity-freshwater cogenerator based...

“One stone two birds” or “you can't have your cake and eat it too”? Effects of device dimensions and position of the thermoelectric module on simultaneous solar-driven water evaporation and thermoelectric generation

“…2,34 In addition, solar energy also can be converted into electric energy via the Seebeck effect. [35][36][37][38][39][40] Niu and Gong report a facile and cost-effective strategy to prepare MnO 2 -decorated cotton cloth as an advanced PCM for simultaneous steam and electricity generation. 41 The hybrid device exhibited an extremely high WE rate of 2.24 kg m −2 h −1 under 1 kW m −2 irradiation.…”

“…There have been many reports on solar-driven photothermal WE and simultaneous TE generation by the Seebeck effect, but little attention has been paid to the effect of the device dimensions and the position of the TE module on the performance of both. [35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43] Thus, to study the inuence of the device dimensions and the position of the TE module on simultaneous WE and TE generation, in this work, we prepared a 3D and 2D exible CMF/Cu@CuS device for synchronous solar-driven WE and TE generation. We chose CMF/Cu@CuS as the PCM, exhibiting a favorable porous structure, thermal management capability, broadband light absorption and strong LSPR effect.…”

Upcycling Waste Poly(ethylene terephthalate) into a Porous Carbon Cuboid through a MOF-Derived Carbonization Strategy for Interfacial Solar-Driven Water–Thermoelectricity Cogeneration

“…48,49 Mu et al prepared a starch−polyacrylamide-based thermo-electricity−freshwater cogenerator, which showed an evaporation rate of 1.79 kg m −2 h −1 with a power density of 11.39 W m −2 . 42 Wei et al combined stearic acid/lignin cellulose nanocrystal/sponge with a TE module for generating freshwater and electricity (1.38 kg m −2 h −1 and 74 mV, respectively). 50 Nevertheless, previous solar evaporators have some shortcomings such as complex fabrication processes and comparatively low evaporation rates (<2 kg m −2 h −1 ).…”

“…Recently, interfacial solar-driven evaporation has been regarded as an emerging technology through the photothermal effect for producing freshwater from wastewater/seawater in coastal/remote areas. − Particularly, its integration with power generation technologies (e.g., thermoelectricity, − photovoltaics, and water-driven energy generation) realizes sustainable electricity power and freshwater cogeneration. In the integrated design with thermoelectricity, solar heat localized on the surface of evaporators executes water production, and concurrently the low-grade energy that is lost into the environment is transformed into electricity by a thermoelectric (TE) module based on the Seebeck effect. , Mu et al prepared a starch–polyacrylamide-based thermoelectricity–freshwater cogenerator, which showed an evaporation rate of 1.79 kg m –2 h –1 with a power density of 11.39 W m –2 . Wei et al combined stearic acid/lignin cellulose nanocrystal/sponge with a TE module for generating freshwater and electricity (1.38 kg m –2 h –1 and 74 mV, respectively) .…”

Non-Covalent Bond-Regulated Solar Evaporation Modulator: Facilitative Hydration Domains Originated via a Homogeneous Polymeric Network

“…Gelation chemistry controls the structures of polymeric networks on a molecular level, which allows a further degree of tuning on their molecular structures, morphologies, and properties toward desirable components. It has enormous potential to push simultaneous strategy optimization for increasing photothermal–evaporation efficient conversion. , Given the insulating porous hydro-absorbent framework with a specific hydrophilic chain and water groups contributing to the water localization and thermal management of the evaporation interface, − the adaptive polymer hydrogels will establish a powerful platform for inexpensive, high-performance photothermal evaporation applications. ,, Ideally, the formation of micro- and nanoscale interfacial cavities between transparent insulating media with low thermal conductivity and photothermal materials facilitates transmissive interference between light-photothermal materials and suppresses the heat loss from the photothermal interface to the surrounding environment, while ensuring the material’s intrinsic microscopic morphology. It would be essential for effective light absorption across the broadband solar spectrum .…”