Novel tin dioxide-coated gold and silver nanomaterials for enhanced solar steam generation

Abstract

Solar steam generation, a technology that harnesses the abundant and clean energy of sunlight, has emerged as a promising solution for global freshwater scarcity. This study explores the potential applications of gold and silver nanostructures coated with tin dioxide and blended to form mixtures to improve photothermal properties for solar steam generation. Transmission electron microscopy was used to successfully confirm the rod-like structures and diverse sizes of the gold and silver nanoparticles, with aspect ratios ranging from 2.2 to 3.3. The collected ultraviolet–visible spectra showed broadened and enhanced light absorption across a range of 350–850 nm. Furthermore, under 1.3511 kW/m2 solar power, solar steam generation efficiencies were found to be 10.87 ± 0.05, 10.71 ± 0.06, and 10.32 ± 0.04% for tin dioxide-based nanofluids, CTAB-based nanofluids, and pure water, respectively. Notably, tin dioxide-based nanofluids also exhibited a higher heat capacity (7734.12 J/°C·Kg) as compared to the CTAB-based nanofluids (7709.25 J/°C·Kg) and pure water (4200 J/°C·Kg), demonstrating its superior thermal management. These results indicate that the strategic blending of tin dioxide encapsulated gold and silver nanorods offers a promising approach to advancing solar energy technologies through improved nanomaterial design.