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[Display omitted] • A morph-genetic biomimetic concept for fabricating zwitterionic hydrogels was proposed. • Macro-porous structures inside CTDPH matrix avoid the formation of salt crystallization. • The seawater evaporating rate of CTDPH increases to 3.11 kg m-2h−1 under 1-sun irradiation. • The CTDPH maintains 91.6% of its original solar evaporation rate even after 10 cycles. Huge seawater resources are of utmost importance in addressing the increasing and severe water shortage worldwide. However, high-efficiently and sustainably extracting fresh water from seawater through solar evaporation remains a challenging task. Herein, we propose a novel approach based on the morph-genetic biomimetic concept, utilizing a cuttlebone-templated directional porous hydrogel (CTDPH). By etching away the cuttlebone (CaCO 3) in the hydrogel network, we have developed a zwitterionic material that exhibits high-efficiency photo-thermal conversion, resistance to salt deposition, and super hydrophilicity, enabling high-efficiency solar evaporation. The resultant CTDPH demonstrates a high level of photo-thermal conversion efficiency, thanks to the incorporation of MXene (Ti 3 C 2 T x) 2D nanosheets. By introducing polyzwitterions into the hydrogel matrix, the CTDPH achieves superhydrophilicity, greatly enhancing the transport of seawater. More importantly, the CTDPH possesses a penetrating oriented macro-porous structure, enabling rapid seawater transportation while effectively preventing salt crystallization. This prevents salt deposition on the surface of the hydrogel even during continuous 12-hour 1.0 sun irradiation. As a result, compared with the MXene-free gels and cuttlebone-reserved gels, this CTDPH can largely increase the seawater evaporating rate from 0.73 or 1.75 to 3.11 kg m-2h−1 under 1.0 sun irradiation. Furthermore, even after undergoing 10 cycles of seawater evaporation, the CTDPH still maintains 91.6% of its original solar evaporation rate (2.85 kg m-2h−1). The CTDPH emerges as a promising contender, offering both high efficiency and sustainability for solar evaporation from seawater, while simultaneously paving the way for innovative approaches to explore other materials and systems in the realm of solar evaporation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PPy-coated P(NIPAM-ABP) electrospun nanofiber can provide high strength. • PPy-coating by in situ polymerization can provide high light-responsive. • The actuator owns ultrafast deformation and rapid recovery. • The actuator can realize various 3D programmable complex deformations. • We have explored new biomimetic devices based on the advantages of the actuator. Intelligent hydrogels are promising for biomimetic actuators, but acquiring actuations with both high speed and powerful force is still extremely difficult. Herein, a new robust polypyrrole (PPy)-coated copoly(isopropylacrylamide-4-benzoylphenyl acrylate) [P(NIPAM-ABP)] electrospun light-responsive hydrogel is explored. The (PPy)-coated P(NIPAM-ABP) hydrogel can be obtained via in-situ polymerization of pyrroles on the nanofiber-oriented electrospun P(NIPAM-ABP) hydrogel. Compared with original P(NIPAM-ABP) hydrogel, this PPy-coated P(NIPAM-ABP) hydrogel can integrate highly-enhanced mechanical strength (from 1.21 to 5.12 MPa of tensile strength) and ultrahigh-efficiency of photothermal conversion together. In addition, the orientation of P(NIPAM-ABP) nanofibers can still maintain well for programmable complex deformations. Consequently, the as-prepared robust bi-hydrogel actuator with ultrafast and complex deformations has been achieved, through bonding the PPy-P(NIPAM-ABP) hydrogel membrane with a polyethylene glycol diacrylate-cellulose nanofiber (PEGDA-CNF) composite hydrogel membrane via interfacial ultraviolet (UV) polymerization of PEGDA monomers. Several light-responsive biomimetic actuating devices have been achieved, which owning powerful force (can grab up 100 times of self-weight), rapid speed (1285.71°/s of folding) or precisely programmable complex deformations. Furthermore, two biomimetic devices with synergistic functions of the three advantages above have been explored, which can mimic the child's sit-up and the starfish's continuous crawling movement respectively. This work provides a robust remotely-controlled light-responsive hydrogel actuator with powerful force, ultrafast speed and programmable complex actuations, which will inspire the design and fabrication of novel soft biomimetic actuating materials and systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]