Conjugated photothermal materials and structure design for solar steam generation

With the development of solar steam generation (SSG) for clean water production, conjugated photothermal materials (PTMs) have attracted significant interest because of their advantages over metallic and inorganic PTMs in terms of high light absorption, designable molecular structures, flexible morphology, and solution processability. We review here the recent progress in solar steam generation devices based on conjugated organic materials. Conjugated organic materials are processed into fibers, mem-branes, and porous structures. Therefore, nanostructure design based on the concept of nanoarchitectonics is crucial to achieve high SSG efficiency. We discuss the considerations for designing SSG absorbers and describe commonly used conjugated organic mate-rials and structural designs.

Automated summary

With the development of solar steam generation technology, conjugated photothermal materials have attracted attention due to their advantages over metallic and inorganic materials. This review discusses recent progress in solar steam generation devices based on conjugated organic materials, including their use in fibers, membranes, and porous structures. The design of nanostructures based on nanoarchitectonics is crucial for achieving high steam generation efficiency, and considerations for designing steam absorbers are also discussed.