Modular Deformable Steam Electricity Cogeneration System with Photothermal, Water, and Electrochemical Tunable Multilayers

Abstract

Capturing solar energy for thermal conversion in a highly efficient manner for steam‐electricity cogeneration is particularly opportune in the context of optimal solar energy utilization for concurrent water‐energy harvesting. Herein, an integrative photothermal evaporator/thermogalvanic cell with the desired optical, heat, water, and electrochemical management for synergistic steam‐electricity production is reported. Versatile layer by‐layer assembly is employed to integrate a hydrogel/metal‐oxide/polymer into a multilayer film with individually addressable thickness, composition, and structure. As such, the ultimate integrative multilayer film cell demonstrates a unified high surface area and conductive electrodes, broadband absorption, rapid water suction‐ion exchange, and thermal insulation properties. Thus, the designed cell immensely suppresses heat losses, achieving a high solar thermal conversion efficiency of 91.4% and maximum power outputs of ≈1.6 mW m−2. Additionally, the self‐floating, deformable, modular integral device presents appealing attributes such as salt‐rejection for viable seawater desalination, high mechanical stability, and resilience to demanding operating conditions, and configurable on‐demand/point‐of‐use tandem structure to maximize clean water and power generation value per area. This integrated strategy may provide prospective opportunities to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and freshwater inputs and solutions for renewable and decentralized clean water and electricity.

High‐Efficiency Photothermal Water Evaporation using Broadband Solar Energy Harvesting by Ultrablack Silicon Structures

“…Solar energy conversion is one of the hottest topics to address the global energy challenge, and lots of scientists have been contributing to searching for new materials for broadband solar energy harvesting due to the inexhaustible source of solar energy. [ 1–10 ] Solar to heat conversion, also called photothermal conversion, is one of the most important forms among the solar energy conversions, in addition to Si‐based photovoltaic cell, perovskite solar cell, photoelectrochemical water splitting, and so on. [ 11–19 ] It also ensures wide spread applications including photothermal imaging, seawater desalination, and photothermoelectric conversion.…”

Defect‐Induced Self‐Cleaning Solar Absorber with Full‐Spectrum Light Absorption for Efficient Dye Wastewater Purification

“…[ 6,7 ] Many innovative materials with full‐spectrum light absorption, [ 8–10 ] periodic surface structures, [ 11,12 ] low heat conductivity, [ 13,14 ] water activation, [ 15–17 ] and salt‐rejecting performance [ 18–20 ] were proposed. In addition, hybrid systems based on solar‐driven water evaporation were also devised to solve energy and environmental issues jointly, such as solar steam sterilization, [ 21 ] water−hydrogen cogeneration, [ 22 ] water−electricity cogeneration, [ 23 ] and even water−electricity−hydrogen generation. [ 24 ] Despite conspicuous improvements in solar‐driven water evaporation, this technology is also challenged by water sources containing organic compounds.…”

Concentrated Acid‐Induced Dehydration of Fallen Leaves for Efficient, Sustainable, and Self‐Cleaning Solar Steam Generation

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6] The development and design of photothermal conversion materials, which can absorb solar irradiation and convert it into heat, is one of the focuses in this field. [7][8][9] To date, various types of light absorbers, such as metallic nanoparticles, [10][11][12][13] carbonbased materials, [14][15][16] polymers, [17][18][19] and semiconductors [20][21][22] have been demonstrated for efficient solar absorption. [23,24] Among them, carbon-based materials, including exfoliated graphite, graphene, carbon nanotubes, and other carbon materials have attracted extensive attention due to their high-efficiency, chemical stability, and excellent broadband solar absorption.…”