Photothermal evaporator for a desalination system and method of manufacture

Abstract

An interconnected open-pore 2.5D Cu/CuO foam-based photothermal evaporator capable of achieving a high evaporation rate of 4.1 kg m−2 h−1 under one sun illumination by exposing one end of the planar structure to air is disclosed. The micro-sized open-pore structure of Cu/CuO foam allows it to trap incident sunlight, and the densely distributed blade-like CuO nanostructures effectively scatter sunlight inside pores simultaneously. The inherent hydrophilicity of CuO and capillarity forces from the porous structure of Cu foam continuously supply sufficient water. Moreover, the doubled working sides of Cu/CuO foam enlarge the exposure area enabling efficient vapor diffusion. The feasible fabrication process and the combined structural features of Cu/CuO foam offer new insight into the future development of solar-driven evaporators in large-scale applications with practical durability.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.