Efficient utilization of solar energy for water evaporation is an advanced and environment-friendly technology to solve the crisis of global drinking water shortage. Herein, we report an efficient solar vapor… Click to show full abstract
Efficient utilization of solar energy for water evaporation is an advanced and environment-friendly technology to solve the crisis of global drinking water shortage. Herein, we report an efficient solar vapor generator comprised of a light-absorbing and photothermal hybrid compound [Ni(Phen) 3 ][V 14 O 34 Cl]Cl (NiV 14 ) confined in mesoporous and hydrophilic glass (meso-glass). The generator is floating in water by supporting on domestic melamine-formaldehyde (MF) foam to ensure the evaporation at water-air interface. Porous structures and poor thermal conductivity of the meso-glass together with MF foam contribute to the unfailing water supply, strong solar thermal localization and less heat dissipation, and convection. Associated with strong photothermal role of NiV 14 , these synergistic effects led to a water evaporation rate of 14.38 kg m -2 h -1 with total water evaporation efficiency of 111.4% under 6 suns and a daily solar water purification yield of 42.00 L m -2 under 1 sun irradiation. This solar evaporation system shows great promise for high-efficiency water purification application.
               
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