The worldwide request for clean water and renewable energy is growing rapidly due to the rising population, changing ways of life, expanding economies, and increased utilization of natural resources. One way researchers from multiple disciplines are striving to meet these demands is to develop a direct solar steam generation (DSSG) system providing steam interrelated with the water-energy conversion process. To maximize steam generation, various systems have been developed based on the water supply path and efficient photothermal conversion structures. However, evaporative systems are vulnerable to salt generation and antifouling/antimicrobial problems, which can cause irreparable damage. To overcome these problems, recent research has been focused on thermo-responsive shape-morphing hydrogel-based DSSG systems. Although reversible actuators and materials for biomedical, soft robotics, tissue engineering, and other applications have been discussed in several reviews, no comprehensive insight has been provided on thermo-responsive actuators for DSSG. The aim of this review is to address these points while providing a comprehensive insight into thermo-responsive actuators. This is achieved by covering new and existing design and modeling strategies for hydrogel actuators with shape-morphing properties, including material modeling and numerical analysis, along with uncovering their working mechanism and production through 4D printing and evaporation dynamics.

中文翻译：

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用于太阳能蒸汽生成的 4D 打印基于热响应水凝胶的智能执行器的全面回顾：高级设计、建模、制造和有限元分析


由于人口增长、生活方式的改变、经济的扩张和自然资源利用率的增加，全球对清洁水和可再生能源的需求正在迅速增长。来自多个学科的研究人员努力满足这些需求的一种方式是开发一种直接太阳能蒸汽发电 （DSSG） 系统，提供与水能转换过程相关的蒸汽。为了最大限度地产生蒸汽，已经开发了基于供水路径和高效光热转换结构的各种系统。然而，蒸发系统容易受到盐分产生和防污/抗菌问题的影响，这可能会造成无法修复的损害。为了克服这些问题，最近的研究集中在基于热响应形状变形水凝胶的 DSSG 系统上。尽管在几篇综述中讨论了用于生物医学、软机器人、组织工程和其他应用的可逆致动器和材料，但尚未对 DSSG 的热响应致动器提供全面的见解。本综述的目的是解决这些问题，同时提供对热响应致动器的全面见解。这是通过涵盖具有形状变形特性的水凝胶致动器的新旧设计和建模策略来实现的，包括材料建模和数值分析，以及通过 4D 打印和蒸发动力学揭示其工作机制和生产。