Solar Water Evaporation Toward Water Purification and Beyond

With the pressing global energy and environmental issues, solar water evaporation (SWE), which generates vapor using solar energy, emerges as a promising and sustainable approach, because of its diverse applications. Developing thermal- and water-management strategies through material and structural designs with novel functionalities has been demonstrated for improved performance of SWE-based systems. This Review summarizes the recent progress of SWE and its potential applications, ranging from water purification, to electricity generation, to steam sterilization, to evaporative cooling. Specifically, rational design principles of solar water evaporators are described from the aspect of energy management for high SWE rates. The material and system designs of the SWE-based water- and energy-related system are also discussed. Finally, we emphasize key challenges and opportunities both in fundamental research and practical applications for the future development of this promising technology.