Micro- and nano-sized materials for solar evaporators: a review

Solar evaporation water purification technology is becoming one of the main research direction to solve the fresh water shortage in recent years. The preparation of micro- and nano-sized photothermal materials with satisfied light absorption properties and the design of appropriate evaporation systems significantly contribute to the efficiency of clean water output. By desalination of seawater and purification of wastewater, the world wide fresh water shortage is expected to be effectively alleviated. This paper reviews the classification of micro- and nano-sized evaporation materials, the composition of evaporator structures, the strategies to improve thermal efficiency, and the practical applications of photothermal evaporation in numerous aspects in recent years, and finally gives an outlook on the future development direction of evaporators.