Journal of Textile Research ›› 2023, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (03): 201-209.doi: 10.13475/j.fzxb.20210700509

• Comprehensive Review • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Research progress in electrospun nanofibers in interfacial solar steam generation

HE Mantang1, WANG Liming1(), QIN Xiaohong1, YU Jianyong2   

  1. 1. College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
    2. Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
  • Received:2021-07-01 Revised:2022-03-18 Online:2023-03-15 Published:2023-04-14

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Abstract:

Significance Solar steam generation is a method to generate steam from solar energy to obtain clean water resources which can convert solar energy into heat energy and solve the problem of clean water shortage with minimal environmental impact. Electrospun nanofibers have been used as the substrate of interfacial solar steam generator by means of its structural features. Electrospinning can provide nanofibers with high specific surface area to enhance the evaporation process, continuous fibers can transport water over long distances, which can ensure adequate water supply, and the porosity and pore structure of the film can be adjusted to achieve higher vapor diffusion by adjusting the parameters of the electrostatic spinning device. Moreover, many reports confirmed that the electrospun nanofiber-based evaporator can achieve seawater desalination, wastewater purification and other purposes by using interfacial solar steam generation.

Progress In this paper, four main ways of combining electrospun nanofibers with photothermal materials in two-dimensional nanofiber membrane and three-dimensional nanofiber aerogel evaporator were introduced, with their principles, properties and process methods systematically summarized. The performance of different types of solar evaporators using electrospun nanofiber-based was compared and discussed. It is showed that these evaporators can achieve a maximum evaporation rate of 3.81 kg/(m2·h) with a conversion efficiency of 90.1% and salt resistance of 99% under one sun irradiation. The conventional methods of two-dimensional surface modified electrospun nanofiber membrane, the principles of two-dimensional blending electrospun nanofiber membrane, two-dimensional Janus electrospun nanofiber membrane and three-dimensional electrospun nanofiber aerogel were scutinized. The surface modification of electrospun nanofiber membrane leads to many functional materials, such as loading conductive materials for sensors, spraying antibacterial agents for antibacterial properties, depositing photothermal materials to make solar steam generators. Surface modification is mainly divided into physical methods and chemical methods. Electrospun nanofiber membrane is prepared by mixing polymer and photothermal materials into uniform spinning solution through electrospinning. The preparation of Janus electrospun nanofiber membranes is generally carried out by surface modification on the upper and lower sides of the nanofiber membranes or by step spinning on different spinning fluids, so as to achieve the effect of different characteristics on both sides of the nanofiber membranes. Electrospun nanofiber-based aerogel is prepared by freeze-drying of nanofibers, photothermal materials and crosslinking agents in the nanofiber membrane. The three-dimensional aerogel prepared by nanofiber offers larger volume and higher specific surface area, which not only can improve the binding strength between nano-fiber and photothermal materials, but also fully improve the evaporation rate and salt resistance of solar evaporator.

Conclusions and Prospect The electrospun nanofiber-based solar steam generator makes use of the characteristics of electrospun nanofibers, enriches the combination of nanofibers and photothermal materials, and effectively expands the application of nanofibers in the field of photothermal energy. However, there are still some challenges, such as low strength, poor adhesion with photothermal materials and insufficient function, which limit the development of electrospun nanofibers in the application of solar steam generation. Practical application process of solar steam generator often faces issues such as complex water environment (such as seawater, acid and alkali wastewater) where strengthened adhesion between electrospun nanofibers and photothermal materials is necessary to impart multi-functions such as bacterial resisting and self-cleaning. The thickness of two-dimensional planar solar evaporator directly constructed by electrospun nanofiber membrane is small which makes the thermal management, and hence water supply and vapor diffusion in the process of water evaporation cannot be carried out faster. In order to solve this problem, solar steam generators need to focus on constructing two-dimensional nanofiber membranes into three-dimensional structures, optimize the structure design, and make full use of solar energy to improve the ability of photothermal steam conversion. In addition, photothermal materials and nanofibers still have problems such as high production cost and long technological process at present. It is believed that developing simple preparation methods and low-cost materials for high-performance solar steam generators represent a key perspective in future development.

Key words: electrospun nanofiber, solar steam generation, nanofiber membrane, nanofiber-based aerogel, seawater desalination, wastewater purification, multifunction material

CLC Number: 

  • TS104.76

Fig.1

Characteristics of electrospinning nanofibers and applications classification thereof in interfacial solar steam conversion"

Tab.1

Performance comparison of evaporators"

太阳能蒸发器
构成(聚合物/
光热材料)		 光吸
收率/
%		 蒸发速率/
(kg·(m2·h)-1)		 转化
效率/
%		 脱盐
率/%		 参考
文献
聚乳酸/氧化钨 — 3.81 81 — [17]
聚酰胺/炭黑 94 1.24 83 — [26]
聚偏氟乙烯/碳纳米管 90 1.43 60 99.9 [27]
甲基丙烯酸乙酯/石墨烯 92 1.25 82 — [28]
聚偏氟乙烯+聚丙烯腈/炭黑 98.6 1.2 82 — [29]
聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯/炭黑 97 1.3 72 — [30]
聚偏氟乙烯/碳球 96 1.29 73 99 [31]
聚偏氟乙烯/金纳米颗粒 — 3.64 79.8 — [32]
聚氨酯/碳纳米管+聚多巴胺 94 1.44 90.1 — [33]
聚偏氟乙烯+聚丙烯腈/氧化锡 — 0.93 60 — [34]

Fig.2

Common methods for surface modification of electrospinning nanofiber membrane"

Fig.3

Principle of blending electrospinning nanofiber membrane"

Fig.4

Preparation methods of Janus electrospinning nanofiber membrane"

Fig.5

Preparation method of electrospinning nanofiber aerogel"

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