Comparison of 2D and 3D interfacial solar evaporation systems
Maryam Nooman ALMALLAHI, Mohamed Y.E. SELIM, Mahmoud ELGENDI
Abstract. Water scarcity poses a growing threat to sustainable human development, showing the importance of innovative solutions for clean water generation. Interfacial Solar Evaporation (ISE) is a relatively new desalination method for clean water generation by localizing solar energy at the water-air interface. There are several structural designs, including two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) configurations, proposed to enhance water evaporation performance. The 2D system localizes heat by reducing conduction to the bulk water, which enhances the evaporation rates. The 3D structures offer a larger surface area, which improves photothermal utilization and multidirectional light harvesting. In addition, water supply can be classified as one-dimensional (1D), 2D, and 3D, depending on the transport pathway from bulk water to the evaporation surface. This work provides a comparison of 2D and 3D ISE systems, highlighting their differences. Therefore, understanding the advantages and limitations of each structural approach provides valuable insights for optimizing evaporation.
Keywords
Structure Design, Photothermal Material, Interfacial Solar Evaporation, 2D Materials, 3D Materials, SDG 6
Published online 6/20/2026, 5 pages
Copyright © 2026 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA
Citation: Maryam Nooman ALMALLAHI, Mohamed Y.E. SELIM, Mahmoud ELGENDI, Comparison of 2D and 3D interfacial solar evaporation systems, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 67, pp 686-690, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644904176-94
The article was published as article 94 of the book Climate Action and Sustainability
Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
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