Journal
ADVANCED MATERIALS
Volume 33, Issue 28, Pages -Publisher
WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH
DOI: 10.1002/adma.202000922
Keywords
bacterial nanocellulose; cellulose; photothermal materials; solar evaporators; wood
Ask authors/readers for more resources
This paper summarizes the recent advances in utilizing cellulose to create highly efficient solar evaporators for addressing the global water crisis. It highlights the potential and advantages of cellulose-based materials in the field of solar evaporators, as well as the application of different cellulose materials in achieving solar steam generation. The outstanding challenges that need to be addressed in utilizing these materials and devices in real-world applications are also briefly mentioned.
Herein, the recent advances in realizing highly efficient cellulose-based solar evaporators for alleviating the global water crisis are summarized. Fresh water scarcity is one of the most threatening issues for sustainable development. Solar steam generation, which harnesses the abundant sunlight, has been recognized as a sustainable approach to harvest fresh water. In contrast to synthetic polymeric materials that can pose serious negative environmental impacts, cellulose-based materials, owing to their biocompatibility, renewability, and sustainability, are highly attractive for realizing solar steam generators. The molecular and macromolecular features of cellulose and the physicochemical properties of extracted cellulose nanoparticles (cellulose nanocrystals and cellulose nanofibrils (CNF)) and natural cellulose materials (wood and bacterial nanocellulose (BNC)) that make them attractive as supporting substrate materials in solar steam generators are briefly discussed. Recent progress in designing highly efficient cellulose-based solar evaporators, including utilizing extracted cellulose nanoparticles via bottom-up assembly CNF, natural cellulose materials with intrinsic hierarchical structure (wood and BNC), and commercial planar cellulose substrates (air-laid paper, cellulose paper, and cotton fabric) is reviewed. The outstanding challenges that need to be addressed for these materials and devices to be utilized in the real-world and in overcoming global water crisis are also briefly highlighted.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available