1. Chemical Scissors Tailored Nano-Tellurium with High-Entropy Morphology for Efficient Foam-Hydrogel-Based Solar Photothermal Evaporators.
- Author
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Xing, Chenyang, Li, Zihao, Wang, Ziao, Zhang, Shaohui, Xie, Zhongjian, Zhu, Xi, and Peng, Zhengchun
- Subjects
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EVAPORATORS , *FOAM , *LIGHT absorption , *ENERGY consumption , *SURFACE structure , *IONIC liquids - Abstract
Highlights: Precise exfoliation and modification of nano-Tellurium was realized by adopting a room-temperature ionic liquid as the electrolyte. Nano-Tellurium with high-entropy morphology can offer greater solar absorption and more kinds of surface chemical groups, giving rise to superior photothermal properties. Nano-Tellurium-poly(vinyl alcohol)-based photothermal foam hydrogels, with high compressibility, excellent water transport rate and low evaporation enthalpy of water, combined with a new heat-supply model, achieve an evaporation rate of 4.11 kg m−2 h−1 with energy efficiencies up to 128% under 1 sun irradiation, which are the highest values for semiconductor-based nanocomposites reported so far. The development of tellurium (Te)-based semiconductor nanomaterials for efficient light-to-heat conversion may offer an effective means of harvesting sunlight to address global energy concerns. However, the nanosized Te (nano-Te) materials reported to date suffer from a series of drawbacks, including limited light absorption and a lack of surface structures. Herein, we report the preparation of nano-Te by electrochemical exfoliation using an electrolyzable room-temperature ionic liquid. Anions, cations, and their corresponding electrolytic products acting as chemical scissors can precisely intercalate and functionalize bulk Te. The resulting nano-Te has high morphological entropy, rich surface functional groups, and broad light absorption. We also constructed foam hydrogels based on poly (vinyl alcohol)/nano-Te, which achieved an evaporation rate and energy efficiency of 4.11 kg m−2 h−1 and 128%, respectively, under 1 sun irradiation. Furthermore, the evaporation rate was maintained in the range 2.5–3.0 kg m−2 h−1 outdoors under 0.5–1.0 sun, providing highly efficient evaporation under low light conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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