Solar steam generation, a sustainable and cost-effective water purification technique, has emerged as a promising solution to the global freshwater shortage. Plasmonic photothermal nanomaterials (NMs) have recently garnered enormous attention owing to their strong light-matter interactions and high photothermal conversion efficiency. This review begins by outlining the fundamentals of the plasmonic effect. Subsequently, we classify the current solar steam generation systems and discuss the critical parameters governing their performance. Recent advancements in plasmon-empowered NMs are then summarized according to five major classes: metals, metal nitrides, metal chalcogenides, metal oxides, and MXenes. Furthermore, this review highlights four primary applications of plasmon-driven solar steam generation. Finally, it discusses existing challenges in this research field and provides perspectives on future research directions. This comprehensive review offers valuable insights into the rational design and fabrication of plasmonic NMs for efficient solar steam generation and can thus serve as a guide for future development in this field.
