Titanium Oxynitride Spheres with Broad Plasmon Resonance for Solar Seawater Desalination

The facile production of hollow and solid nitridized submicrometer titania spheres has been successfully realized, with potential for mass production. The nitridation process gives submicrometer titanium oxynitride spheres, which possess a strong and broadband light absorption property. Interband-transition-induced resonance and plasmon resonance have been found to coexist in titanium oxynitride spheres through single-particle dark-field scattering measurements. Theoretical modeling has further confirmed that the excellent light absorption properties of the oxynitride spheres originate from the supported dual-mode optical resonance. A highly efficient, easy-to-build, and self-sustainable device is rationally designed for solar-driven seawater desalination, where the titanium oxynitride spheres function as photothermal transducers. The hollow spheres possess a higher water evaporation rate than the solid ones as the inner surface of the hollow spheres also provides surface sites for interaction with water molecules. Given the outstanding light absorption capability and the unique morphology of the hollow spheres, a water evaporation rate of ∼1.49 kg m–2 h–1 with a solar-to-thermal conversion efficiency of ∼89.1% has been achieved under the illumination of simulated solar light (1 sun, 1 kW m–2). This marks the record performance among reported plasmon-based solar seawater desalination systems.