A flexible photothermal cotton-CuS nanocage-agarose aerogel towards portable solar steam generation

Xuan Wu; Max Edward Robson; Jack Leslie Phelps; Jeanette Sorupia Tan; Bo Shao; Gary Owens; Haolan Xu

doi:10.1016/j.nanoen.2018.12.008

A flexible photothermal cotton-CuS nanocage-agarose aerogel towards portable solar steam generation

Xuan Wu, Max Edward Robson, Jack Leslie Phelps, Jeanette Sorupia Tan, Bo Shao, Gary Owens, Haolan Xu

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

367 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

Solar-steam generation provides an economically efficient pathway to produce clean water by using solar irradiation as an energy source. While this strategy is highly suitable for portable and small scale water purification for individuals, families and those living in remote areas, the development of highly efficient and flexible photothermal materials which can be easily transported for storage and deliver is required. In this study, a commercial degreasing cotton, photothermal CuS yolk-shell nanocages and agarose were combined to produce a highly flexible photothermal aerogel which delivered a high energy efficiency (94.9%) for solar-steam generation under 1.0 sun irradiation, corresponding to a water evaporation rate of 1.63 kg m⁻² h⁻¹. The preparation of the photothermal aerogel can be easily scaled up due to the simplicity of the applied casting method. The obtained aerogel showed excellent stability for solar steam generation with no degradation in performance after at least 15 cycles. The salinity of the clean water produced during solar-thermal desalination of seawater was only 0.54 ppm. The raw materials of cotton, agarose and CuS are all cost effective, thus this flexible photothermal aerogel has showed great potential for practical application in portable solar-thermal evaporators.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	708-715
Number of pages	8
Journal	Nano Energy
Volume	56
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nanoen.2018.12.008
Publication status	Published - Feb 2019

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors acknowledge the financial support from University of South Australia, Australia and Huasheng Graphite Co., Ltd., China. We also thank Professor Shizhang Qiao and Dr Yao Zhen's help in materials characterization and Mr Ken Neubauer in Adelaide Microscope Centre for the assistance in ESEM imaging.

Funding Information:
The authors acknowledge the financial support from University of South Australia , Australia and Huasheng Graphite Co., Ltd. , China. We also thank Professor Shizhang Qiao and Dr Yao Zhen's help in materials characterization and Mr Ken Neubauer in Adelaide Microscope Centre for the assistance in ESEM imaging.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd

Keywords

Aerogel
Nanocages
Photothermal
Solar-thermal energy
Water evaporation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
General Materials Science
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.nanoen.2018.12.008

Cite this

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title = "A flexible photothermal cotton-CuS nanocage-agarose aerogel towards portable solar steam generation",

abstract = "Solar-steam generation provides an economically efficient pathway to produce clean water by using solar irradiation as an energy source. While this strategy is highly suitable for portable and small scale water purification for individuals, families and those living in remote areas, the development of highly efficient and flexible photothermal materials which can be easily transported for storage and deliver is required. In this study, a commercial degreasing cotton, photothermal CuS yolk-shell nanocages and agarose were combined to produce a highly flexible photothermal aerogel which delivered a high energy efficiency (94.9%) for solar-steam generation under 1.0 sun irradiation, corresponding to a water evaporation rate of 1.63 kg m−2 h−1. The preparation of the photothermal aerogel can be easily scaled up due to the simplicity of the applied casting method. The obtained aerogel showed excellent stability for solar steam generation with no degradation in performance after at least 15 cycles. The salinity of the clean water produced during solar-thermal desalination of seawater was only 0.54 ppm. The raw materials of cotton, agarose and CuS are all cost effective, thus this flexible photothermal aerogel has showed great potential for practical application in portable solar-thermal evaporators.",

keywords = "Aerogel, Nanocages, Photothermal, Solar-thermal energy, Water evaporation",

author = "Xuan Wu and Robson, {Max Edward} and Phelps, {Jack Leslie} and Tan, {Jeanette Sorupia} and Bo Shao and Gary Owens and Haolan Xu",

note = "Funding Information: The authors acknowledge the financial support from University of South Australia, Australia and Huasheng Graphite Co., Ltd., China. We also thank Professor Shizhang Qiao and Dr Yao Zhen's help in materials characterization and Mr Ken Neubauer in Adelaide Microscope Centre for the assistance in ESEM imaging. Funding Information: The authors acknowledge the financial support from University of South Australia , Australia and Huasheng Graphite Co., Ltd. , China. We also thank Professor Shizhang Qiao and Dr Yao Zhen's help in materials characterization and Mr Ken Neubauer in Adelaide Microscope Centre for the assistance in ESEM imaging. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 Elsevier Ltd",

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doi = "10.1016/j.nanoen.2018.12.008",

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AU - Wu, Xuan

AU - Robson, Max Edward

AU - Phelps, Jack Leslie

AU - Tan, Jeanette Sorupia

AU - Shao, Bo

AU - Owens, Gary

AU - Xu, Haolan

N1 - Funding Information: The authors acknowledge the financial support from University of South Australia, Australia and Huasheng Graphite Co., Ltd., China. We also thank Professor Shizhang Qiao and Dr Yao Zhen's help in materials characterization and Mr Ken Neubauer in Adelaide Microscope Centre for the assistance in ESEM imaging. Funding Information: The authors acknowledge the financial support from University of South Australia , Australia and Huasheng Graphite Co., Ltd. , China. We also thank Professor Shizhang Qiao and Dr Yao Zhen's help in materials characterization and Mr Ken Neubauer in Adelaide Microscope Centre for the assistance in ESEM imaging. Publisher Copyright: © 2018 Elsevier Ltd

PY - 2019/2

Y1 - 2019/2

N2 - Solar-steam generation provides an economically efficient pathway to produce clean water by using solar irradiation as an energy source. While this strategy is highly suitable for portable and small scale water purification for individuals, families and those living in remote areas, the development of highly efficient and flexible photothermal materials which can be easily transported for storage and deliver is required. In this study, a commercial degreasing cotton, photothermal CuS yolk-shell nanocages and agarose were combined to produce a highly flexible photothermal aerogel which delivered a high energy efficiency (94.9%) for solar-steam generation under 1.0 sun irradiation, corresponding to a water evaporation rate of 1.63 kg m−2 h−1. The preparation of the photothermal aerogel can be easily scaled up due to the simplicity of the applied casting method. The obtained aerogel showed excellent stability for solar steam generation with no degradation in performance after at least 15 cycles. The salinity of the clean water produced during solar-thermal desalination of seawater was only 0.54 ppm. The raw materials of cotton, agarose and CuS are all cost effective, thus this flexible photothermal aerogel has showed great potential for practical application in portable solar-thermal evaporators.

AB - Solar-steam generation provides an economically efficient pathway to produce clean water by using solar irradiation as an energy source. While this strategy is highly suitable for portable and small scale water purification for individuals, families and those living in remote areas, the development of highly efficient and flexible photothermal materials which can be easily transported for storage and deliver is required. In this study, a commercial degreasing cotton, photothermal CuS yolk-shell nanocages and agarose were combined to produce a highly flexible photothermal aerogel which delivered a high energy efficiency (94.9%) for solar-steam generation under 1.0 sun irradiation, corresponding to a water evaporation rate of 1.63 kg m−2 h−1. The preparation of the photothermal aerogel can be easily scaled up due to the simplicity of the applied casting method. The obtained aerogel showed excellent stability for solar steam generation with no degradation in performance after at least 15 cycles. The salinity of the clean water produced during solar-thermal desalination of seawater was only 0.54 ppm. The raw materials of cotton, agarose and CuS are all cost effective, thus this flexible photothermal aerogel has showed great potential for practical application in portable solar-thermal evaporators.

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ER -

A flexible photothermal cotton-CuS nanocage-agarose aerogel towards portable solar steam generation

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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