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A green and efficient strategy facilitates continuous solar-induced steam generation based on tea-assisted synthesis of gold nanoflowers

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Abstract

Developing a highly efficient system for solar steam generation (SSG) using a straightforward and eco-friendly method to harvest freshwater is fascinating but challenging. Here, we stir the mixture of brewed tea and HAuCl4 to prepare Au nanoflowers, possessing broad wavelength light absorption and excellent photothermal effects. After freeze-drying the mixture of Au nanoflowers, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), and aqueous polyurethane (PU) emulsion, we obtain three-dimensional (3D) porous structures (CNC-PU-Au) for SSG. The whole process does not involve any sophisticated procedure or produce detrimental by-products. The evaporation rates are 2.24 kg·m−2·h−1 for pure water and 2.18 kg·m−2·h−1 for seawater using CNC-PU-Au under one sun. The solar energy conversion efficiency is up to 90.92% under one sun illumination. Besides, CNC-PU-Au shows self-driven salt resistance and durability. In outdoors application for seawater desalination, the maximum evaporation rate can maintain at 2.19 kg·m−2·h−1 in spring and 3.42 kg·m−2·h−1 in summer. These unique features promise the utility of CNC-PU-Au in the ecofriendly water treatment industry.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partially supported by the Natural Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of Guangdong Province (No. 2020B1515020011), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 22074094, 21801169, and 22005195), and China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2020M672797). We also thank the Instrumental Analysis Center of Shenzhen University (Lihu campus) for SEM analysis.

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Author notes

  1. Guoshuai Zhu and Gaoxing Jing contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, 518055, China

    Guoshuai Zhu, Gaoxing Jing, Ruijia Huang, Feng Li & Wenwen Chen

  2. Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles (Ministry of Education), Nonwoven Technology Laboratory, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, China

    Haoxuan Li

  3. The Institute of Seawater Desalination and Multipurpose Utilization, Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), Tianjin, 300192, China

    Guorong Xu & Qiang Li

  4. Centre for AIE Research, College of Material Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518055, China

    Dong Wang

  5. School of Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Functional Aggregate Materials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, 518172, China

    Ben Zhong Tang

Authors
  1. Guoshuai Zhu
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  2. Gaoxing Jing
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  4. Qiang Li
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  6. Feng Li
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  7. Haoxuan Li
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  8. Dong Wang
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  10. Ben Zhong Tang
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Correspondence to Haoxuan Li, Dong Wang or Wenwen Chen.

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Zhu, G., Jing, G., Xu, G. et al. A green and efficient strategy facilitates continuous solar-induced steam generation based on tea-assisted synthesis of gold nanoflowers. Nano Res. 15, 6705–6712 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-022-4269-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-022-4269-7

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