Simulation-Guided Design of Bamboo Leaf-Derived Carbon-Based High-Efficiency Evaporator for Solar-Driven Interface Water Evaporation

Abstract

Solar interface water evaporation has been demonstrated to be an advanced method for freshwater production with high solar energy utilization. The development of evaporators with lower cost and higher efficiency is a key challenge in the manufacture of practical solar interface water evaporation devices. Herein, a bamboo leaf-derived carbon-based evaporator is designed based on the light trace simulation. And then, it is manufactured by vertical arrangement and carbonization of bamboo leaves and subsequent polyacrylamide modification. The vertically arranged carbon structure can extend the light path and increase the light-absorbing area, thus achieving excellent light absorption. Furthermore, the continuous distribution of polyacrylamide hydrogel between these vertical carbons can support high-speed water delivery and shorten the evaporation path. Therefore, this evaporator exhibits an ultrahigh average light absorption rate of ˜96.1%, a good water evaporation rate of 1.75 kg m–2 h−1, and an excellent solar-to-vapor efficiency of 91.9% under one sun irradiation. Furthermore, the device based on this evaporator can effectively achieve seawater desalination, heavy metal ion removal, and dye separation while completing water evaporation. And this device is highly available for actual outdoor applications and repeated recycling.