Morphology Control of Ag Polyhedron Nanoparticles for Cost‐Effective and Fast Solar Steam Generation

Abstract

Since introduction of inorganic metallic salt serves as an inducer for modulating crystalline nucleation and overgrowth, we have synthesized highly monodispersed silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) (diameter: 48.7–411.9 nm) in the shape of polyhedral quasi‐spheres via a household microwave oven. The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorption spectrum of AgNPs exhibits a good match to the solar spectrum in the UV to near infrared wavelength range. Consequently, AgNPs dispersed in deionized (DI) water have a great potential for efficient solar heat collecting, able to convert both hot steam and its clustering nanobubbles into macro‐bubbles (macroscopic bubbles) in a fast and consecutive manner. The maximum values of solar thermal conversion efficiency, rate of steam, and diameter of the clustered macroscopic bubbles obtained in the preliminary experiments under the best conditions are 82.45%, 16.8 g/(AM1.5 · m2 · min), and 2.4 cm, respectively. Here we show that the designated system has fast dynamics of steam generation, as well as easy and cost‐effective scale‐up capability, suggesting that the steam generation system using AgNPs might be feasible after further development.

Efficient Interfacial Solar Steam Generator with Controlled Macromorphology Derived from Flour via “Dough Figurine” Technology

“…Furthermore, we pulverized some C‐FFNS samples and pass the standard filtration to obtain a freeze‐dried flour powder particle (i.e., called C‐FFP) size of ≈450 μm as dense packed samples. Unlike nanograde sample stacks, these three kinds of macro samples stacking are similar in terms of optical absorption, hydrophilicity, and mechanical strength . We concluded that important factors affecting the evaporation efficiency of these three different stacking materials are their different thermal management.…”

“…Unlike nanograde sample stacks, these three kinds of macro samples stacking are similar in terms of optical absorption, hydrophilicity, and mechanical strength. [50,51] We concluded that important factors affecting the evaporation efficiency of these three different stacking materials are their different thermal management. The mass changes of C-FFNC, C-FFNS, and C-FFP have large differences (Figure 4a).…”

Solar‐Inspired Water Purification Based on Emerging 2D Materials: Status and Challenges

“…[163] Its absorption ability has gone beyond that of Ge nanoparticles, [214] BiInSe foam, [164] and Al nanoparticles. [215] Te can combine the features of both LSPR-based absorption [45,47,215,216] and all-dielectric absorption, [214,217] to enhance the absorption. As noted in the scattering spectra (Figure 5b), the plasmonic-like resonance contributes to the main scattering of the Te nanoparticles with size smaller than 120 nm.…”

Solar‐Thermal Driven Self‐Heating of Micro‐Supercapacitors at Low Temperatures

“…Various solar energy harvesting technologies, such as solar cells, artificial photosynthesis, photocatalysis, and solar‐thermal technology, are being developed at present . Among these solar energy harvesting technologies, solar–thermal technology, which converts the absorbed sunlight into thermal energy through photothermal materials, has received considerable attention due to its low cost and high conversion efficiency . This technology has been successfully used in water heaters, water desalination, power generation, and photothermal therapy, but it can still be further developed for other potential applications.…”