Bionic design: Nature insight into solar interfacial evaporators

Abstract

Solar interfacial evaporators (SIE) offer a promising solution for utilizing solar energy in seawater desalination, addressing the critical issue of freshwater scarcity. However, there are ongoing challenges in enhancing overall performance and multifaceted applications of evaporators. To further improve SIE performance, inspiration can be drawn from nature at multiple scales. By integrating biomimetic designs, the evaporation performance of these systems has been significantly improved, which has emerged as a compelling avenue to improve their overall performance. Nevertheless, a comprehensive overview of the advancements in bionic structures for solar evaporator applications is currently lacking. This paper aims to fill this gap by reviewing the utilization of biomimetic structures in SIE and systematically presenting recent progress in biomimetic structures for enhancing light absorption, thermal management, and water/salt transport in SIE. Furthermore, we underscore the practical applications of current biomimetic structures, discuss existing challenges, and outline future prospects for enhancing performance through innovative biomimetic structure designs.