Highly efficient solar steam generation of low cost TiN/bio-carbon foam

Abstract

The use of solar energy to produce steam is an effective method to purify sewage or seawater. Herein, we deposited TiN nanoparticles (NPs) on a piece of carbonized wood as a new type of double layer material for solar water evaporation. TiN NPs possess better stability, lower cost, lower toxicity and wider and stronger optical absorption than the previously reported photo-thermal conversion (PTC) materials, such as plasmonic metals, carbon-based materials and semiconductor nanomaterials. The amounts of TiN NPs and the thicknesses and types of the substrates have important influences on water evaporation rates and solar-vapor conversion efficiency. A solar-vapor conversion efficiency of 92.5%, the highest efficiency in the reported wood-based PTC materials, is obtained under 1-sun simulated solar irradiation. In addition, the TBCF hybrid materials (TiN NPs on biocarbon foam) exhibit good reusability.