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Download fileEngineering a Copper@Polypyrrole Nanowire Network in the Near Field for Plasmon-Enhanced Solar Evaporation
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posted on 2021-10-06, 14:35 authored by Wei Wang, Xiaoqing Yan, Jiafeng Geng, Ning Zhao, Liqun Liu, Tim Vogel, Qiang Guo, Lin Ge, Bing Luo, Yuxin ZhaoHarvesting solar energy for vapor
generation is an appealing technology
that enables substantial eco-friendly applications to overcome the
long-standing global challenge of water and energy crisis. Nonetheless,
an undesirable low light utilization efficiency and large heat losses
impede their practical use. Here, we demonstrate a typical design
paradigm capable of achieving superb nonconvective flow assisted water
collecting rates of 2.09 kg/m2h under 1 sun irradiation
with a high photothermal conversion efficiency of up to 97.6%. The
high performance is ensured by an elaborately constructed coaxial
copper@polypyrrole nanowire aerogel with surpassing photons acquisition
and thermal localization capabilities. Using state-of-the-art micro-/nanoscale
measurements and multiphysics calculations, we show that the metallic
copper nanowire core can effectively excite surface plasmon resonance,
which induces swift relaxation dynamics to achieve a highly efficient
light-to-heat conversion process. A thin polypyrrole layer dramatically
enhances broadband light absorption with minimized infrared radiation
and low thermal conduction, leading to an impressive local heat concentration
as high as 220 °C under 4 sun irradiation. Engineered empty space
inside aerogel assembly of building blocks further facilitates large
light penetration depth, smooth mass transfer, and robust mechanical
capacity for synergistically boosting actual presentation. This work
provides not only a rational design principle to create sophisticated
solar–thermal materials but also critical information that
complements insights about heat generation and temperature confinement
in a scale-span system during strong light–matter interaction
processes.
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Keywords
thermal localization capabilitiessurpassing photons acquisitionstanding global challengesmooth mass transferrobust mechanical capacityrational design principlepolypyrrole nanowire networkpolypyrrole nanowire aerogelminimized infrared radiationlow thermal conductionhighly efficient lightenables substantial ecoalso critical information4 sun irradiation220 ° c1 sun irradiationheat conversion process2 </ supheat generationwork providesvapor generationusing statetemperature confinementspan systempractical usenear fieldmultiphysics calculationsfriendly applicationsenergy crisiscomplements insightsbuilding blocksappealing technology6 %.09 kg