Freestanding Ultrathin Precisely Structured Hierarchical Porous Carbon Blackbody Film for Efficient Solar Interfacial Evaporation. Issue 2 (6th November 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Fenghua; Gu, Yunjiao; Hu, Yigu; Wang, Zan; Ning, Yuesheng; Bradley, Robert; Lou, Deyuan; Zhao, Binyuan; Wu, Weiping
• Is Part Of: Solar RRL. Volume 7:Issue 2(2023)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-11-06
• Subjects: femtosecond laser -- hierarchically porous carbon films -- ideal solar absorbers -- pore structures -- solar–thermal interfacial evaporation; Solar energy -- Periodicals; Photovoltaic power generation -- Periodicals; Solar energy -- Research -- Periodicals; Photovoltaic power generation -- Research -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 333.7923
• DOI: 10.1002/solr.202200803
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2367-198X

Abstract

Abstract : Solar‐energy‐powered interfacial evaporation is the most meaningful strategy for energy utilization, water desalination, and mineral purification. It can achieve high efficiency, low‐density energy, and sustainable harvest and utilization. However, the microstructure and surface/interface design still lead to a balance between solar–thermal conversion, water conduction, and thermal management, which also determines the efficiency of photothermal interfacial evaporation. Here, a free‐standing, ultrathin carbon film with a tunable nanopore diameter is prepared and used as a blackbody layer for solar photothermal evaporation. By 3D reconstruction methods, the effect of pore structure on interfacial evaporation is systematically studied. Hierarchical porous carbon film with an average pore size of about 300 nm exhibits outstanding photothermal evaporation performance, reaching up to 1.96 kg m −2 h −1 with excellent stability. Ultra‐hydrophobic, optically enhanced absorption graphene array is constructed on the carbon film surface through femtosecond laser nanoprocessing, further increasing the evaporation rate to 2.12 kg m −2 h −1 (1 sun) and 5.55 kg m −2 h −1 (3 suns). Abstract : A novel large area freestanding ultrathin all carbon blackbody shows outstanding photothermal interfacial evaporation performance up to 2.12 kg m −2 h −1 (1 sun) and 5.55 kg m −2 h −1 (3 suns). For the first time, the effect of pore structure on the interfacial evaporation performance and its mechanism have been studied by three dimensional reconstruction and synchrotron X‐ray Ptychography imaging methods.