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Not all solar energy capture devices make electricity directly.
并不是所有的太阳能吸收装置都可以直接转换成电能。
For example, steam generated from solar energy can turn turbines, which then produce electricity.
比如太阳能所产生的水蒸汽需要转动涡轮进而产生电能。
And, in what could be especially useful in remote regions, solar steam can desalinate water and be used in sanitation and equipment sterilization.
而且这样的做法在偏远地区非常有效，太阳能水蒸汽不仅可以淡化海水，还可以对环境卫生设备进行消毒。
Now a new technique looks to be the most efficient way yet created to use solar energy to generate steam.
而现在一项新技术是利用太阳能产生水蒸汽最为有效的方法。
To absorb sunlight, M.I.T. researchers created a porous disc of graphite flakes.
为了吸收阳光，麻省理工学院的研究人员制造了一个多孔渗水的石墨薄片圆盘。
Underneath the disk is a layer of insulating carbon foam that floats on water.
圆盘下面有一层漂浮在水面上的绝缘泡沫碳。
The foam prevents heat from being lost to the water, and has a tangle of interconnected small pores.
泡沫可以防止热量流失到水中，也可产生互通的小气孔。
As sun heats the graphite, it creates a pressure difference that pulls water up through the foam pores, like a sponge.
随着太阳不断对石墨进行加热，就会产生一个压力差，而后像挤海绵一样，水分从泡沫孔隙中被挤压出来。
When the water hits the graphite hot spot, it turns into steam.
当水落在石墨的加热点就会转化成水蒸汽。
The scientists report that this inexpensive system reaches 85 percent efficiency in converting the solar energy into steam.
科学家们称这种廉价的系统在转化太阳能为水蒸汽方面效率可以达到85%。
The study is in the journal Nature Communications.
这项研究已经在《自然通讯》杂志上发表。
The researchers hope to up the efficiency further with different materials or an improved design.
研究人员希望可以通过利用不同的材料或者进一步改进设计增加效率。
All of which could cause steampunk fans to update their wardrobes.
所有这些都会引得蒸汽朋克粉丝去更新他们的装备。
