Flake-like CuO nanostructure coated on flame treated eucalyptus wood evaporator for efficient solar steam generation at outdoor conditions

The conversion of solar light to heat for solar driven steam generation is familiar for purification of water and energy storage. Natural Eucalyptus wood used as the new substrate for photo thermal materials in solar steam generation owing to strong adaptability, thermal insulation, vertically aligned water transport channel, growth naturally, low-cost, and renewability. In the present study, various samples, namely Eucalyptus wood (EW), flame-treated eucalyptus wood (FTEW), CuO coated eucalyptus wood (CuO EW) and CuO coated flame-treated eucalyptus wood (CuO FTEW) are experimentally investigated to study the performance of solar desalination at outdoor conditions. As a part of the study, CuO nanomaterial is synthesized and characterized using XRD, UV-Vis, FTIR, and FE-SEM which confirms that CuO has a crystallite size of ̴18 nm, excellent light absorbing behaviour, functional group and flake-like structure respectively. Here, the light absorption and porous structure of CuO FTEW fulfil the fundamental requirement of solar steam generation. The maximum evaporation efficiency of CuO FTEW sample is 85.6% at outdoor condition (q = 492 W/m2) owing to the presence of evenly distributed CuO flakes on the surface of wood, carbon content and capillary action. Eventually, the mechanically robust, low cost, environmentally sustainable and long-term stability of CuO FTEW presents great opportunity for desalination and waste water treatment.