Synergistic Effect of Nickel Nanoparticles on Photothermal Conversion Efficiency in Carbon-Based Materials for Solar Steam Generation

In recent years, significant efforts have been devoted to enhancing the photothermal conversion efficiency of various materials. However, the synergistic impact of metal nanoparticles on the photothermal performance of carbon materials remains largely unexplored. This study investigates the role of nickel (Ni) nanoparticles in improving the photothermal conversion efficiency by using Ni-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as precursors. The MOFs were directly pyrolyzed to synthesize composite materials embedded with Ni nanoparticles. By modulating the content of the Ni nanoparticles, the photothermal conversion efficiency of the composite material can be precisely controlled. Specifically, the efficiency decreased from about 62% to 48% as the Ni nanoparticle content was reduced. The underlying synergistic mechanisms between Ni nanoparticles and carbon materials are thoroughly analyzed, providing a theoretical foundation for their interaction. Furthermore, the evaporator manufactured by electrospinning technology uses composite materials as the active phase and polyurethane as the matrix, exhibiting excellent evaporation performance with an evaporation rate of 1.24 kg/m²h and an evaporation efficiency exceeding 80%. This work offers valuable insights into the photothermal synergistic effects between metal and carbon materials, contributing to the understanding of their collaborative mechanisms.