30. A Review of the Applications of Nanomaterials to Augment Solar Still Productivity

Freshwater and energy are critical components for societal growth and advancement. Freshwater shortage and rapid population expansion, particularly in distant regions, have resulted in a significant increase in desalination installation capacity across the world. To reduce the carbon footprint caused by high-energy consuming desalination procedures, the focus has switched to employing renewable energy sources to power desalination. Solar can still assist people in promptly and securely obtaining potable water from salty water without the need for moving or rotating equipment. Solar still has low installation costs, self-sufficient water production, and minimal maintenance. However, they have significant drawbacks, including limited efficiency and salt deposition. The use of nanomaterials applications can increase the efficiency of solar stills. Herein, bibliometric analysis is conducted on the phase change material (PCM), nanomaterials, and related research topics from the literature from 2010 to 2022. In addition, current investigations on enhancing solar still performance using nanomaterials applications are summarized. The most significant and prevalent methods, as well as their benefits and drawbacks, are discussed. The primary uses of nanomaterials are covered. This chapter demonstrated that solar energy is still a straightforward mechanism for converting accessible salty water into drinking water. One of the most effective ways to increase its performance is to use nanotechnology. Some approaches for improving performance utilizing nanoparticles are proposed.