Graphene oxide foam fabricated with surfactant foaming method for efficient solar vapor generation

Solar vapor generation is emerging as a reliable way to directly transfer solar illumination to vapor evaporation. Graphene-based porous photothermal materials are considered as promising absorbers in this system owing to the broadband absorption and excellent photothermal properties. In this paper, we construct a three-dimensional (3D) graphene oxide foam with a convenient surfactant foaming method for solar vapor generation. Abundant porous channels and good hydrophilicity are simultaneously achieved by means of the self-assembly and hydrophilic characteristics of the foaming agents. Detailed light absorption and vapor generation tests reveal that the foam monolith possesses an absorption rate at ~ 89% and a considerable solar vapor efficiency of ~ 81% under a solar intensity of 1 kW m−2.