Biomimetic MXene Textures with Enhanced Light‐to‐Heat Conversion for Solar Steam Generation and Wearable Thermal Management

• Published in: Advanced energy materials Vol. 9; no. 34
• Main Authors: Li, Kerui, Chang, Ting‐Hsiang, Li, Zhipeng, Yang, Haitao, Fu, Fanfan, Li, Tingting, Ho, John S., Chen, Po‐Yen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.09.2019
• Subjects: 2D materials; biomimetic hierarchical structure; Biomimetic materials; Broadband; broadband light absorption; Computer simulation; Construction materials; Conversion; Deformation wear; Electromagnetic absorption; Graphene; Light; Light reflection; Molybdenum disulfide; MXenes; solar steam generation; Steam electric power generation; Steam generation; Thermal management; Ti3C2Tx MXene; Two dimensional materials; Wearable technology
• ISSN: 1614-6832; 1614-6840
• DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201901687

2D materials are of particular interest in light‐to‐heat conversion, yet challenges remain in developing a facile method to suppress their light reflection. Herein, inspired by the black scales of Bitis rhinoceros, a generalized approach via sequential thermal actuations to construct biomimetic 2D‐material nanocoatings, including Ti3C2Tx MXene, reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is designed. The hierarchical MXene nanocoatings result in broadband light absorption (up to 93.2%), theoretically validated by optical modeling and simulations, and realize improved light‐to‐heat performance (equilibrium temperature of 65.4 °C under one‐sun illumination). With efficient light‐to‐heat conversion, the bioinspired MXene nanocoatings are next incorporated into solar steam‐generation devices and stretchable solar/electric dual‐heaters. The MXene steam‐generation devices require much lower solar‐thermal material loading (0.32 mg cm−2) and still guarantee high steam‐generation performance (1.33 kg m−2 h−1) compared with other state‐of‐the‐art devices. Additionally, the mechanically deformed MXene structures enable the fabrication of stretchable and wearable heaters dual‐powered by sunlight and electricity, which are reversibly stretched and heated above 100 °C. This simple fabrication process with effective utilization of active materials promises its practical application value for multiple solar–thermal technologies. Inspired by the black scales of Bitis rhinoceros, a generalized approach is developed via sequential thermal actuations to construct biomimetic 2D‐material nanocoatings, including Ti3C2Tx MXene, reduced graphene oxide, and MoS2. The hierarchical MXene nanocoatings result in broadband light absorption, and realize improved light‐to‐heat performance, demonstrating extremely practical application value in solar steam generation and wearable thermal management.