Explore the vast range of titles available.

Concentrating solar power (CSP) technology is poised to take its place as one of the major contributors to the future clean energy mix.Using straightforward manufacturing processes, CSP technology capitalises on conventional power generation cycles, whilst cost effectively matching supply and demand though the integration of thermal energy.

100% efficiency is the ultimate goal for all energy harvesting and conversion applications. However, no energy conversion process is reported to reach this ideal limit before. Here, an example with near perfect energy conversion efficiency in the process of solar vapor generation below room temperature is reported. Remarkably, when the operational temperature of the system is below that of the surroundings (i.e., under low density solar illumination), the total vapor generation rate is higher than the upper limit that can be produced by the input solar energy because of extra energy taken from the warmer environment. Experimental results are provided to validate this intriguing strategy under 1 sun illumination. The best measured rate is ≈2.20 kg m−2 h−1 under 1 sun illumination, well beyond its corresponding upper limit of 1.68 kg m−2 h−1 and is even faster than the one reported by other systems under 2 sun illumination. A near perfect energy conversion efficiency can be achieved in a solar vapor generation process. When the operational temperature is below that of the surroundings, the vapor generation rate is higher than the upper limit that can be produced by the input solar energy exclusively due to the environmental contribution. The best measured rate is ≈2.20 kg m−2 h−1 under 1 sun illumination.

Because solar energy is available in large excess relative to current rates of energy consumption, effective conversion of this renewable yet intermittent resource into a transportable and dispatchable chemical fuel may ensure the goal of a sustainable energy future. However, low conversion efficiencies, particularly with CO₂ reduction, as well as utilization of precious materials have limited the practical generation of solar fuels. By using a solar cavity-receiver reactor, we combined the oxygen uptake and release capacity of cerium oxide and facile catalysis at elevated temperatures to thermochemically dissociate CO₂ and H₂O, yielding CO and H₂, respectively. Stable and rapid generation of fuel was demonstrated over 500 cycles. Solar-to-fuel efficiencies of 0.7 to 0.8% were achieved and shown to be largely limited by the system scale and design rather than by chemistry.

Carbon‐based sunlight absorbers in solar‐driven steam generation have recently attracted much attention due to the possibility of huge applications of low‐cost steam for medical sterilization or sanitization, seawater desalination, chemical distillation, and water purification. In this minireview, recent developments in carbon‐based sunlight absorbers in solar‐driven steam generation systems are reviewed, including graphene, graphite, carbon nanotubes, other carbon materials, and carbon‐based composite materials, highlighting important contributions worldwide that promise low‐cost, efficient, robust, reusable, chemically stable, and excellent broadband solar absorption. Furthermore, the crucial challenges associated with employing carbon materials in this field are emphasized. Recent developments in carbon‐based sunlight absorbers in solar‐driven steam generation systems are reviewed, including graphene, graphite, carbon nanotubes, other carbon materials, and carbon‐based composites materials. In particular, important contributions worldwide that promise low‐cost, efficient, robust, reusable, chemically stable, and excellent broadband solar absorption are highlighted. Furthermore, the crucial challenges associated with employing carbon materials in this field are emphasized.

Organic phase change materials (PCMs) have been widely applied in thermal energy storage fields due to their good structural stability, high energy storage density, adjustable phase change temperature and non-toxicity. However, the poor solar-thermal conversion performance and structure stability restrict the large-scale application of organic PCMs. Herein, novel PCM composites (CMPCMs) with good structural stability, improved photothermal conversion efficiency, and superior energy storage density were successfully synthesized by impregnating poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) into cellulose nanofibers/melanin hybrid aerogel. The three-dimensional (3D) aerogel framework had good shape stability and strong encapsulation ability, which inhibited the leakage of PEG and enhanced the shape stability of the synthesized PCM. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results showed that CMPCMs exhibited relatively high melting enthalpies ranging from 168.3 to 175.9 J/g, and the introduction of melanin almost unchanged the energy storage density of the synthesized PCM composites. Simulated sunlight tests revealed that the introduction of melanin significantly improved the photothermal conversion efficiency of CMPCMs (from 47.2 to 85.9%). The thermal cycling test and thermogravimetric analysis showed that CMPCMs possessed excellent thermal stability and good encapsulation ability. In conclusion, the synthesized CMPCMs showed great potential in the practical utilization and storage of solar energy.

Phase change materials (PCMs) are popular solutions to tackle the unbalance of thermal energy supply and demand, but suffer from low thermal conductivity and leakage problems. Inspired by how honeybees store honey, we propose artificial “honeycomb-honey” for excellent solar and thermal energy storage capacity based on TiN nanoparticles decorated porous AlN skeletons-PCMs composites. The thermal conductivity of composites achieves 21.58 W/(m·K) at AlN loading of 20 vol.%, superior to the state-of-the-art ceramic-based composites. The charging/discharging time is reduced to about half of pure PCMs with shape-stability and thermal reliability well maintained over 500 melting/freezing cycles. The underlying mechanism can be attributed to the combination of single-crystal AlN whiskers with few crystal defects and reduced phonon scattering, as well as vertically arranged three-dimantional (3D) heat conduction channels. A rapid and efficient solar thermal storage is also demonstrated with solar thermal storage efficiency achieving a high value of 92.9% without employing additional spectrum selective coatings. This is benefited from high thermal conductivity and full-spectrum solar absorptance of up to 95% induced by plasmonic resonances of TiN nanoparticles. In addition, by embedding LiNO 3 -NaCl eutectics, the phase change enthalpy of composites reaches as high as 208 kJ/kg, making high energy storage density and fast energy storage rate compatible. This work offers new routes to achieve rapid, efficient, stable, and compact solar capture and thermal energy storage.

Interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) system has attracted extensive attention as a sustainable desalination technology because of its cost efficiency and zero fossil-energy consumption. Aiming at optimizing the desalination properties, materials and system design have been the current research focus. Recently, many novel bio-derived/bio-inspired design strategies were proposed owing to their highly efficient structures inherited from nature, which were fine-tuned over eons of evolution, as well as their low cost and ease of treatment. In this review, we are going to systematically report recent progress of various bio-derived/bio-inspired strategies in terms of optical design, wetting, thermal management, and overall system design, presenting an overview of the current challenges of bio-inspired materials in ISSG system and other application fields. This article is intended to provide a comprehensive review of recent developments about bio-derived/bio-inspired materials in ISSG system and conclude with suggestions regarding further research directions for performance enhancement through design of bio-derived/bio-inspired materials.

To alleviate the increasing energy crisis and achieve energy saving and consumption reduction in building materials, preparing shape-stabilized phase-change materials using bio-porous carbon materials from renewable organic waste to building envelope materials is an effective strategy. In this work, pine cone porous biomass carbon (PCC) was prepared via a chemical activation method using renewable biomaterial pine cone as a precursor and potassium hydroxide (KOH) as an activator. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and octadecane (OD) were loaded into PCC using the vacuum impregnation method to prepare polyethylene glycol/pine cone porous biomass carbon (PEG/PCC) and octadecane/pine cone porous biomass carbon (OD/PCC) shape-stabilized phase-change materials. PCCs with a high specific surface area and pore volume were obtained by adjusting the calcination temperature and amount of KOH, which was shown as a caterpillar-like and block morphology. The shape-stabilized PEG/PCC and OD/PCC composites showed high phase-change enthalpies of 144.3 J/g and 162.3 J/g, and the solar–thermal energy conversion efficiencies of the PEG/PCC and OD/PCC reached 79.9% and 84.8%, respectively. The effects of the contents of PEG/PCC and OD/PCC on the temperature-controlling capability of rigid polyurethane foam composites were further investigated. The results showed that the temperature-regulating and temperature-controlling capabilities of the energy-storing rigid polyurethane foam composites were gradually enhanced with an increase in the phase-change material content, and there was a significant thermostatic plateau in energy absorption at 25 °C and energy release at 10 °C, which decreased the energy consumption.

Phase change materials (PCMs) have emerged as an intriguing option for the storage of thermal energy because of their remarkable capacity to store latent heat. However, the practical application of these materials is hindered by their low thermal conductivity and limited photo-absorbance. For this investigation, graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) hybrid nanoparticles were disseminated in RT-54HC organic PCMs at different weight fractions. The nanoparticles were incorporated into the base PCMs using a melt blending technique. Based on the findings, one combination of GNP to MWCNT in a 0.25:0.75 ratio has shown the highest thermal conductivity, with an increase of 40% (0.28 Wm −1  K −1 ) compared to other hybrid combinations. This breakthrough could potentially open new avenues in the field of thermal energy storage. The chemical stability of the hybrid nanoparticle dispersed composites was assessed through FTIR analysis. In addition, the composites exhibited excellent thermal stability, maintaining their structural integrity even at temperatures as high as 300 ℃. The melting temperature of the composites also showed minimal variation. Based on the evaluation of latent heat enthalpy, the organic PCM known as base RT-54HC demonstrated a heat storage capacity of 230 J/g. However, the composites exhibited a slight decrease in latent heat with increasing nanoparticle weight fraction. In addition, the composite with added hybrid nanoparticles demonstrated an increase in optical absorbance, accompanied by a decrease in transmissibility. Therefore, the hybrid nano-enhanced composites have demonstrated enhanced thermo-physical properties, making them not only suitable but also highly promising for use in applications with mid-range melting temperatures. Graphical Abstract

The growing demand for sustainable energy storage solutions has underscored the importance of phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy management. However, traditional PCMs are always inherently constrained by issues such as leakage, poor thermal conductivity, and lack of solar energy conversion capacity. Herein, a multifunctional composite phase change material (CPCM) is developed using a balsa-derived morphology genetic scaffold, engineered via bionic catechol surface chemistry. The scaffold undergoes selective delignification, followed by a simple, room-temperature polydopamine (PDA) modification to deposit Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and graft octadecyl chains, resulting in a superhydrophobic hierarchical structure. This superhydrophobicity plays a critical role in preventing PCM leakage and enhancing environmental adaptability, ensuring long-term stability under diverse conditions. Encapsulating stearic acid (SA) as the PCM, the CPCM exhibits exceptional stability, achieving a high latent heat of 175.5 J g−1 and an energy storage efficiency of 87.7%. In addition, the thermal conductivity of the CPCM is significantly enhanced along the longitudinal direction, a 2.1-fold increase compared to pure SA, due to the integration of Ag NPs and the unidirectional wood architecture. This synergy also drives efficient photothermal conversion via π-π stacking interactions of PDA and the surface plasmon effects of Ag NPs, enabling rapid solar-to-thermal energy conversion. Moreover, the CPCM demonstrates remarkable water resistance, self-cleaning ability, and long-term thermal reliability, retaining its functionality through 100 heating–cooling cycles. This multifunctional balsa-based CPCM represents a breakthrough in integrating phase-change behavior with advanced environmental adaptability, offering promising applications in solar–thermal energy systems.