Abstract:
The development of new and efficient water purification technologies has become particularly urgent under the severe challenges of global water scarcity and water environmental pollution. Solar- driven interfacial water evaporation (ISSG) technology has attracted much attention due to its environmental-friendly and sustainable properties. Among the many materials used for ISSG systems, biomass materials have received much attention due to their unique natural structure, low cost, abundant sources, renewability and degradability. These materials can be converted into excellent photo-thermal materials, matrix materials or thermal insulating materials by carbonization, physical and chemical modification for the construction of low-cost, environmentally friendly and efficient biomass-based ISSG systems. This paper reviews the design and optimization strategies of ISSG systems at the photo-thermal material, thermal management and water transport, and discusses the advantages and roles of biomass materials at these three levels. Next, the progress of biomass and its derived materials from plants, animals, and microorganisms in the application of aerogels, hydrogels, foams, biomass intrinsic structures, and other structured evaporators is summarized, and key performance metrics, such as the evaporation rate and the efficiency of the photo-thermal conversion of different biomass-based evaporators, are discussed in detail. Finally, the challenges and future directions of biomass materials in ISSG systems are described.