Chemical Engineering Journal

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation; Photocatalytic hydrogen production; Utilization of solar energy

Solar-driven hydrogen (H2) production from seawater offers a promising route to reduce freshwater consumption and external energy input while enabling sustainable fuel generation. However, direct seawater splitting remains challenging because dissolved salts and impurities induce catalyst corrosion, parasitic reactions, salt deposition, and long-term instability. To address these challenges, a promising strategy is to prevent direct contact between the catalytic interface and seawater through an integrated system that combines solar interfacial evaporation with photocatalysis (SIEP). The SIEP system comprises a porous water transport structure, a photothermal material interface, and a photocatalyst surface. Under sunlight, seawater is first transported to the photothermal interface and thereby converted into steam. This steam is then decomposed into H2 by photocatalysts, while the excess steam condenses into freshwater. Therefore, this review summarizes the current SIEP systems, and discusses the involved functional materials as well as strategies of system integration. Particular emphasis is placed on the mechanisms governing localized heating, vapor generation and transport, interfacial mass transfer, H2 release, and salt isolation. Finally, we discuss the existing challenges and future opportunities for further development of this field.

Risheng Duan

Ning Qin,Pei Zhao

Ikram Ullah,Chonghui Yang,Wenjiao Yao,Zeyad Ammar Almutairi,An-Wu Xu

Journal paper

178114

In Press

13.2

No

2026-06

EI、SCI