Carbon-based photothermal materials for the simultaneous generation of water vapor and electricity

Solar-driven interfacial vapor generation (SIVG) is increasingly used for fresh water production, having the advantages of low energy consumption, eco-friendliness, and high efficiency. Carbon-based photothermal materials (CPTMs) can introduce temperature and salinity gradients in the SIVG process because of their outstanding photothermal conversion properties, which have given SIVG great potential for both steam and power generation. Various kinds of CPTMs for clean water and electricity generation are discussed in this review. The basic principles and key performance indices of SIVG are first described and the photothermal and SIVG performance of various CPTMs including graphene oxides, carbon nanotubes, carbon dots and carbonized biomass are then summarized. Finally, current research concerning water/electricity cogeneration and ways to deal with the problems encountered are presented, to provide some guidelines for the use of multifunctional CPTMs for simultaneous steam and electricity generation.