Versatile PVA/CS/CuO aerogel with superior hydrophilic and mechanical properties towards efficient solar steam generation
Yongzhi Tian,
Xiaoyang Wang,
Yufei Gu,
Xiaojiang Mu,
Pengfei Wang,
Anyun Wei,
Jiahong Zhang,
Yulian Chen,
Zhiqiang Sun,
Lingfeng Jia,
Zhongxian Zhao,
Jianhua Zhou,
Lei Miao
Affiliations
Yongzhi Tian
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials School of Materials Science and Engineering Guilin University of Electronic Technology Guilin 541004 China
Xiaoyang Wang
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials School of Materials Science and Engineering Guilin University of Electronic Technology Guilin 541004 China
Yufei Gu
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials School of Materials Science and Engineering Guilin University of Electronic Technology Guilin 541004 China
Xiaojiang Mu
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials School of Materials Science and Engineering Guilin University of Electronic Technology Guilin 541004 China
Pengfei Wang
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials School of Materials Science and Engineering Guilin University of Electronic Technology Guilin 541004 China
Anyun Wei
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials School of Materials Science and Engineering Guilin University of Electronic Technology Guilin 541004 China
Jiahong Zhang
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials School of Materials Science and Engineering Guilin University of Electronic Technology Guilin 541004 China
Yulian Chen
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials School of Materials Science and Engineering Guilin University of Electronic Technology Guilin 541004 China
Zhiqiang Sun
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials School of Materials Science and Engineering Guilin University of Electronic Technology Guilin 541004 China
Lingfeng Jia
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials School of Materials Science and Engineering Guilin University of Electronic Technology Guilin 541004 China
Zhongxian Zhao
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials School of Materials Science and Engineering Guilin University of Electronic Technology Guilin 541004 China
Jianhua Zhou
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials School of Materials Science and Engineering Guilin University of Electronic Technology Guilin 541004 China
Lei Miao
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Information Materials School of Materials Science and Engineering Guilin University of Electronic Technology Guilin 541004 China
Abstract In recent years, pursuing a high evaporation rate of solar steam generation (SSG) has been the focus of research for relieving the freshwater shortage. Scientists struggled to find perfect photothermal materials while the importance of substrate during the steam generation was often overlooked. Therefore, in this work, an aerogel substrate composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and chitosan (CS) has been designed for solar steam generation. The compounded aerogels synthesized via freeze‐drying method not only retain the inherent characteristics of lightweight, porosity, and high specific surface area, but also inherit the advantages of PVA in water lock effect as well as CS in moisture absorption. The obtained PVA/CS/CuO aerogel coupling with high light absorption of CuO exhibited excellent steam generation capabilities, largely benefited from the superiority of the aerogel substrate. Under 1 sun solar illumination (1 kW m–2), it realized an evaporation rate as high as 2.14 Kg m–2 h–1, which is superior to recently reported semiconductor solar evaporation system. The solar‐to‐vapor energy conversion efficiency of 87.1% is obtained. Due to the versatility of CuO, PVA/CS/CuO aerogel not only has excellent light‐to‐heat conversion performance, but also has good effects in antibacterial.
