太阳光照射金属纳米结构激发其表面等离子体共振，直接加热邻近的液体产生蒸汽，这种太阳能蒸汽过程可用于海水淡化、蒸馏分离、饮用水净化、医用消毒灭菌等领域，对于偏远地区特别是海岛的可再生能源开发利用具有重要意义。本项目针对光谱范围宽但能流密度低的太阳光源，以将太阳能高效转换成蒸汽形式的高品位热能为研究目标。运用功能分区的方法，设计光吸收体与热绝缘层的复合功能材料，利用等离子体共振吸收理论和有效介质理论模拟各功能单元的形貌、尺寸和组成，指导三维多孔结构金/石墨烯气凝胶的合成。在超临界CO2环境中探索金/石墨烯气凝胶的复合工艺并分析微观结构的演化机理。阐明局域表面等离子激元产生的近场对石墨烯光吸收的增强效应，提出实现对太阳光宽光谱吸收的有效途径。在此基础上，分析蒸汽气泡的热动力学行为以期深入理解太阳能光热转换机理，为金属与石墨烯复合功能材料的表面等离子体共振调控以及太阳能光热利用提供理论和技术参考。

Metal nanostructures excites surface plasmon resonance under solar illumination, and then heat the adjacent liquid directly for steam generation, which could find potential applications in desalination, distillation, purification, and medical sterilization. Solar steam generation is important for the utilization of renewable energy in remote areas, especially for islands. This work addresses an issue on the sunlight with a wide spectral range but low energy flow density, and focuses on the efficiently convert solar energy into high-grade thermal energy in the form of steam. The composite materials with two functional domains of light absorbing and thermal insulating is designed. The morphology, size and composition of the functional units are simulated using surface plasma resonance absorption and effective medium theory, which can guide the synthesis of Au/graphene aerogel with three-dimensional porous structure. The integrating methods in supercritical CO2 environment for Au/graphene aerogel and their microstructure evolution mechanisms are explored. The enhancing effects of near field generated by localized surface plasmons on the light absorption of graphene are clarified, and then an effective way for absorbing the sunlight in a broad spectrum can be proposed. Based on the analysis of the thermodynamic behavior of steam bubbles and solar photothermal conversion mechanism, it would provide theoretical and technical reference for surface plasmon resonance engineering of metal/graphene composites and solar photothermal applications.