Key technology developments for solar-driven interface evaporation on structural innovation and thermal design

Solar-driven interface evaporation, a green technology, has gained great attention in recent years as one of the most promising ways to solve the current complex problems such as water shortage, energy crisis, and environmental pollution. In this review, we summarize the main features and unique designs for enhancing the performance of solar-driven interface evaporation units with different structure forms. A performance comparison investigation is made to assess their development potential. We also analyze the energy conversion and heat transfer throughout the process from solar input to freshwater output. Improving performance strategies are reviewed in detail from reducing heat loss, increasing energy intake, enhancing solid-liquid interface heat transfer, enhancing condensation heat transfer, and reducing evaporation latent heat, some principles guiding the optimal design are summarized. The remaining challenges, potential solutions of solar-driven interface evaporation as well as the future development directions are summarized and pointed out.