The revival of thermal utilization from the Sun: interracial solar vapor generation

• 来源期刊: 国家科学评论（英文版）
• 年，卷（期）: 2019,（3）
• 页码范围: 562-578
• 页数: 17页
• 语种: 英文
• DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwz030

摘要

Since solar energy is the ultimate energy resource and a significant amount of global energy utilization goes through heat,there have been persistent efforts for centuries to develop devices and systems for solar-thermal conversion.Most recently,interracial solar vapor generation,as an emerging concept of solar-thermal conversion,has gained significant attention for its great potentials in various fields such as desalination,sterilization,catalysis,etc.With the advances of rationally designed materials and structures and photon and thermal management at the nanoscale,interfacial solar vapor generation has demonstrated both thermodynamic and kinetical advantages over conventional strategies.In this review,we aim to illustrate the definition,mechanism and figures of merit of interracial solar vapor generation,and to summarize the development progress of relevant materials and applications,as well as to provide a prospective view of the future.