Structural features and solar absorption characteristics of sucrose derived spherical carbons: A case study towards solar-thermal water evaporation

Carbon-based materials are considered promising for the effective conversion of solar to thermal energy due to their efficient absorption of the solar spectrum and low thermal loss. In the present work, spherical-type carbons are derived hydrothermally from two different resources: laboratory grade and naturally derived sucrose (from sugarcane). Both the carbons are characterized in terms of their crystalline nature and microstructure using XRD, FTIR, Raman, and FESEM. The UV-VIS-NIR absorption spectra of the prepared carbons confirm their effective absorption of solar light. The prepared materials are further dispersed in water, and solar/thermal conversion studies are carried out using an indigenously developed thermal image analysis set-up. The measurable rise in the surface temperature for carbon dispersed water than pure water results in faster water evaporation. The synthesis of laboratory grade and natural sucrose-derived carbon, study on their structural features, and the possibilities of employing them for solar-thermal water evaporation are the important insights of the present article.