Synthesis and Photo-Thermal Conversion Properties of Hierarchical Titanium Nitride Nanotube Mesh for Solar Water Evaporation

Hierarchical TiN nanotube mesh (HTNM) is prepared by calcining TiO2 nanotube mesh (TONM) in NH3 flow where the TONM is fabricated by electrochemical anodic oxidation of Ti mesh. Calcining temperature affects not only phase composition but also morphology of the HTNM, which further affects its optical absorption and solar water evaporation conversion efficiency (eta). The. can reach to 85.36% under 2.5 kWm(-2) simulated solar irradiation because HTNM efficiently utilizes solar light. Moreover, it can be reutilized because of its stabilities of the phase composition and nanostructure during the measurements of solar water evaporation performance.