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[Display omitted] • 2D laminate films prepared via a hybrid dimensional design of Chiber, MWCNT, and rGO. • The 2D film achieves a high water evaporation rate of 2.10 kg·m−2·h−1 under one sun. • 0.45 V of electricity is generated in the saturated NaCl solution during evaporation. • Lamellar structure and nanopores supply good water transport and thermal management. • Molecular-level elucidation of electricity generation through MD simulation. Emerging water purification technology, known as interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG), has been rapidly developing in recent years. ISSG offers a promising solution to address both freshwater shortage and energy demand by simultaneously producing freshwater and electricity. This is achieved through the combination of microporous films and highly efficient photothermal materials. In this study, we have developed a composite film using a 2D material, reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and a combination of 1D materials, chitin fiber@multi-walled carbon nanotube (Chiber@CNT). Through a hybrid dimensional design, these materials' advantages are integrated, resulting in a composite film with a distinct laminar porous structure and excellent broadband absorption. Notably, under 1 kW·m−2 sunlight irradiation, the composite film achieves a water evaporation flux of 2.10 kg·m−2·h−1 with a photothermal conversion efficiency of 75.79%. In addition, by utilizing an energy-harvesting strategy based on natural water evaporation in porous nanomaterials for power generation, the composite film successfully enables the simultaneous production of freshwater and electricity. Its output voltage reaches 0.39 V in a 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. Furthermore, the film's output voltage varies with the concentration of NaCl, increasing from 0.26 V (in deionized water) to 0.45 V (in the saturated NaCl solution). Molecular dynamic simulation results indicate that the enhanced power generation can be attributed to the difference in interatomic interaction strength between ions and hydrophilic functional groups in chitin fiber (Chiber). This finding provides a deep physical mechanism and opens up possibilities for the film's application in highly concentrated salt solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of efficient photothermal materials has gained increasing attention for solar thermal-energy conversion. A good photothermal material has a strong light-absorption property, low thermal conductivity, high wettability, and high solar-to-thermal conversion efficiency. In this study, we prepared uniform, sub-micron, and defect-rich red phosphorus (RP) nanosheets via a simple ball-milling method to demonstrate their efficient and durable solar steam generation properties. Three RPs of different sizes were prepared by controlling the milling time (0 h: RP0, 30 h: RP30, and 60 h: RP60). Notably, RP60 exhibited the smallest particle (lateral) size, nanosheet morphology, and defect-rich surface. Furthermore, RP60 exhibited the distinctive properties of a small band gap (1.44 eV), low thermal conductivity (0.07 W/m·K), and low heat capacity (0.66 J/g·K) with exceptional wettability. With simulated sunlight illumination (100 mW/cm2, 1 sun), the RP60 photothermal absorber demonstrated a high water evaporation rate of 1.34 kg/m2·h with a stable solar steam generation efficiency of 74.1 % for over 10 h. A one-dimensional water path and porous polyurethane support facilitated the water supply, large contact area, heat localization, and steam escape. By employing plasmonic resonance-heating silver nanoparticles on the RP60, we achieved a significantly improved solar steam generation efficiency of over 96.0 % and a water evaporation rate of 1.75 kg/m2·h. This study highlights the critical role of morphology, particle size, and defects control in improving the photothermal properties for efficient and durable interfacial seawater desalination. [Display omitted] • Uniform and defect-rich red phosphorous (RP) nanosheets are prepared via a ball-milling method. • Surface defects induced greatly reduced bandgap (1.44 eV) of RP nanosheets than the bulk RP. • RP nanosheets also showed a low thermal conductivity (0.07 W/m·K), and hydrophilicity. • A high and stable water evaporation rate of 1.34 kg/m2·h and efficiency of 80 % was achieved. • Plasmonic resonance heating via Ag nanoparticles further enhanced water evaporation rate to 1.75 kg/m2·h (efficiency: 94 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing affordable and eco-friendly photothermal evaporators is crucial to facilitate the application of interfacial solar evaporation technology in seawater desalination. Herein a versatile solar evaporator was designed and fabricated by confining black melanin nanoparticles (MN) obtained from Lophius litulon skin into a MIL-53(Fe) framework (MNM). The obtained evaporator showed a high evaporation rate of 1.34 kg·m−2·h−1 and corresponding energy efficiency of 90.6% under 1.0 sun illumination, as well as long-term salt-rejection properties (continuous outdoor evaporation of 10 wt% brine for 15 days). The estimated materials costs (1 m2) was less than USD 6.5 and the clean water yield meets the daily drinking water requirements for four adults. In addition, the photothermal evaporator showed excellent antibacterial property, high biocompatibility (90% cell survival) and recyclability. This study provides a new path for large-scale utilization of marine biomass materials in designing low-cost, scalable, and recyclable interfacial solar evaporation devices to produce drinkable water. [Display omitted] • A solar evaporator was prepared using MOF and melanin nanoparticles separated from marine biomass. • The overall evaporation system is inexpensive, antibacterial, and highly biocompatible. • The solar evaporator shows excellent solar evaporation rate of 1.34 kg·m2·h−1 and long-term salt-rejection properties. • The evaporator demonstrates outstanding reusability and long-term stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Synergistics effects of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles and Au nanolayer in solar evaporation. • Solar steam fluxes of 3.76 kg m−2 h−1 by Fe 3 O 4 /Au photoabsorber under 3 sun. • Reduction of brackish well water's salinity to below the drinking water standards. For the first time, we investigated the synergistic effect of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles (NPs) and Au nanolayer in interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) of well water. Herein, single- or double- layer photoabsorbers were prepared by coating poplar wood with different concentrations of Fe 3 O 4 NPs and/or various thicknesses of Au nanolayer. The maximum evaporation efficiency for the single-layer photoabsorber composed of Fe 3 O 4 was 80% under 3 sun (1 sun=1 kW m−2) illumination. The most efficient single-layer photoabsorber coated by Au nanolayer resulted in the evaporation efficiency of 83.2% under 3 sun. The double-layer photoabsorber of Fe 3 O 4 over Au nanolayer (Fe 3 O 4 /Au) and Au layer over Fe 3 O 4 (Au/Fe 3 O 4) were prepared. The Fe 3 O 4 /Au reached the evaporation efficiency of 88.7% and the evaporation rate of 3.76 kg m−2 h−1 under 3 sun due to the synergistic effects of surface plasmon effect in Au NPs as well as black color and visible light absorbing ability of Fe 3 O 4 NPs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Facile design of the photothermal membrane for solar steam generation. • PDA-modified ZIF-L enhances solar absorption and photothermal properties. • Sodium alginate-based membrane effectively prevents salt deposition. • Stable freshwater generation from high-salinity brines is achieved. • The S-ZIF-L/PDA sponge has excellent water treatment capabilities. Interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) technology is considered to be one of the most promising approaches to alleviating the global shortage of clean water due to its high solar thermal conversion efficiency. However, achieving stable evaporation in high salinity solutions and preventing the occurrence of salt deposition phenomena remains a challenge. Here, an efficient and stable photothermal membrane-based evaporator has been developed, which consists of polydopamine (PDA) modified leaf-like zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-L) implanted in sodium alginate (SA) membrane supported on a melamine sponge (S-ZIF-L/PDA sponge), providing more advantages for boosting the photothermal conversion performance and preventing salt deposition. This S-ZIF-L/PDA sponge displays an excellent light absorption (>95 %), and remarkable evaporation rate of 1.66 kg·m−2·h−1 with a solar-thermal efficiency of 91.06 % under 1.0 sun (1 kW·m−2) illumination. Benefiting from the super hydrophilic feature of the melamine sponge and the rejection properties of the SA membrane structure, the obtained sponge effectively prevents salt and contaminants from depositing on the surface. Particularly, the S-ZIF-L/PDA sponge achieves an evaporation efficiency of 86.17 % in 20 wt% NaCl solution, along with excellent resistance to salt deposition and marvelous stability in cycling tests. The salt ion concentration of the obtained fresh water is much lower than the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water standard, and the organic removal rate exceeds 99 %. This work provides a competitive solution for high-salinity desalination and wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The surface plasmon resonance effect of Ag and Pd NPs increases ISSG efficiency. • The evaporation flux of 4.82 kg m−2 h−1 achieved by wood coated by Pd/Ag NPs. • The salinity of seawater reduced from 3138.19 to 6.76 ppm. Herein, a hierarchical porous wood was coated with Ag and Pd plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) as double layer and was used as efficient photoabsorbers in interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) of seawater. The results showed that the surface plasmon resonance effect of Ag and Pd NPs increases the photothermal conversion efficiency. According to the results, the highest evaporation flux of 4.82 kg m−2 h−1 was achieved under 3 kW m−2 irradiation when wood was coated with Ag and Pd NPs as a bottom and upper layer, respectively. Moreover, the salinity, electrical conductivity, and pH of seawater decreased from 3138.19, 6000, and 8.1 to 6.76 mg L−1, 20.5 μS cm−1, and 6.7, respectively. The ISSG device represented a stable water generation capability during long-term cycles. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) utilizing local heating technology for evaporation at the water-to-steam interface is drawing great attention because of its high efficiency of solar-thermal conversion for a sustainable and eco-friendly drinking water regeneration process. Here, inspired by the structure of penguin feathers and polar bear hairs that both have macropores to trap air for thermal insulation, we report a bionic solar evaporator (BSE) with macroporous skeleton for partial thermal management and macro patulous channels for abundant water transportation and rapid steam extraction. Meanwhile, the 3D hierarchical isotropic truss structures can induce multiple light reflections to enable omnidirectional light absorption, and bimodal pores facilitate ion diffusion to suppress salt deposits. This BSE exhibits an evaporation rate of 2.3 kg m -2 h -1 and efficiency of 93% under 1 sun. The multiple advantages of high efficiency and salt resistance make BSE available for future practical sewage purification and desalination applications.

With the advancement of civilization, water purification, as well as management and disposal of ever-increasing municipal solid waste (MSW), and e-waste, have become global concerns. To address these issues in a sustainable way, a 3D solar evaporator has been proposed in this paper by repurposing recycled paper from MSW in the form of egg trays and waste dry toner (e-waste) using a facile fabrication method. The unique 3D porous structure, fibrous surface, superior water absorbing capability as well as low thermal conductivity of wastepaper-derived egg trays make them an excellent candidate for an efficient solar evaporator, while the waste toner powder coating significantly enhances the optical absorbance capacity. Under 1 sun illumination, the proposed solar evaporator demonstrates an excellent evaporation rate and efficiency of 1.3 kg/m 2 h and 78.5%, respectively. Moreover, the competitive advantage of the 3D structure in collecting solar irradiance at various light incident angles in comparison to a 2D structure, excellent cycle stability, low processing temperature, and the use of low-cost waste materials enable its use for large-scale water purification systems.

Solar steam generation as a green and sustainable technology has recently attracted significant interest for relieving the longstanding challenge of clean water resources. However, the large-scale preparation of low cost photothermal materials for solar steam generators is highly desired yet still challenging. Herein, semi-coke (SC), a solid byproduct of coal industrial, was first demonstrated as an efficient photothermal material and successfully applied in solar steam generation system by depositing SC on melamine sponge with the assistance of polydopamine. Then, the modified melamine sponge was functionalized by hydrophobic methyl trichlorosilane to fabricate the self-floating semi-coke/polydopamine@photothermal melamine sponge (SPMS). Based on their outstanding light absorption, good wettability, and effective thermal location, the SPMS performs a high evaporation rate of 1.41 kg m−2 h−1 with a solar thermal conversion efficiency of 90.56% under 1 sun irradiation. Meanwhile, the SPMS has remarkable cycle stability and water purification abilities for seawater, dyeing wastewater and heavy metal solution. By turning "waste" to "wealth", the SPMS shows great potential for sustainable applications in synergetic solar clean water production. [Display omitted] • The waste semi-coke was first applied for solar steam generation. • A self-floating system inspired by ducks was fabricated. • Extremely low cost and abundant resources made this absorber stand out. • Excellent water purification capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-driven water evaporation and valuable fuel generation is an environmentally friendly and sustainable way for clean water and energy production. However, a few bottlenecks for practical applications are high-cost, low productivity, and severe sunlight angle dependence. Herein, solar evaporation with enhanced photocatalytic capacity that is light direction insensitive and of efficiency breakthrough by virtue of a three-dimensional (3D) photothermal catalytic spherical isotopic evaporator is demonstrated. A homogeneous layer of microfluidic blow spun polyamide nanofibers loaded with efficient light absorber of polypyrrole nanoparticles conformally wraps onto a lightweight, thermal insulating plastic sphere, featuring favorable interfacial solar heating and efficient water transportation. The 3D spherical geometry not only guarantees the omnidirectional solar absorbance by the light-facing hemisphere, but also keeps the other hemisphere under shadow to harvest energy from the warmer environment. As a result, the light-to-vapor efficiency exceeds the theoretical limit, reaching 217% and 156% under 1 and 2 sun, respectively. Simultaneously, CO 2 photoreduction with generated steam reveals a favorable clean fuels production rate using photocatalytic spherical evaporator by secondary growth of Cu 2 O nanoparticles. Finally, an outdoor demonstration manifests a high evaporation rate and easy-to-perform construction on-site, providing a promising opportunity for efficient and decentralized water and clean fuel production., (© 2021 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

A solar‐driven interface steam generator (SISG) has potential applications in saline water desalination and polluted water purification. A shape‐ and size‐controlled, low‐cost, eco‐friendly solar‐absorber material is urgently desired for practical applications of SISGs. Herein, a facile, sustainable, and scalable approach is proposed to produce tailored SISGs with controlled macromorphology derived from flour via "dough figurine" technology originating from the China Han Dynasty. Three kinds of self‐floated flour‐based absorbers, i.e., near‐cylindrical (integrated), near‐spherical (loose packing), and powdery (dense packing) absorber used as SISGs, are discussed. More importantly, it is found that the macromorphology significantly influences water transport and interfacial thermal management of SISGs; thus the integrated absorber has an obvious advantage over the other two absorbers, which possesses a high evaporation efficiency of 71.9% at normal solar illumination. The proposed "dough figurine" technology breaks the limitations of the inherent geometry of reported biomass‐based SISGs, which provides an important guidance for SISG use in remote and impoverished areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar‐driven interfacial vaporization by localizing solar‐thermal energy conversion to the air–water interface has attracted tremendous attention due to its high conversion efficiency for water purification, desalination, energy generation, etc. However, ineffective integration of hybrid solar thermal devices and poor material compliance undermine extensive solar energy exploitation and practical outdoor use. Herein, a 3D organic bucky sponge that has a combination of desired chemical and physical properties, i.e., broadband light absorbing, heat insulative, and shape‐conforming abilities that render efficient photothermic vaporization and energy generation with improved operational durability is reported. The highly compressible and readily reconfigurable solar absorber sponge not only places less constraints on footprint and shape defined fabrication process but more importantly remarkably improves the solar‐to‐vapor conversion efficiency. Notably, synergetic coupling of solar‐steam and solar‐electricity technologies is realized without trade‐offs, highlighting the practical consideration toward more impactful solar heat exploitation. Such solar distillation and low‐grade heat‐to‐electricity generation functions can provide potential opportunities for fresh water and electricity supply in off‐grid or remote areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) has received increasing attention in both industry and academia, and is considered a method with great potential for wastewater treatment and desalination. These practical applications require materials that fulfil several requirements: being low cost, being scalable in terms of processing, being environmentally friendly, and having a high, stable optical–thermal conversion efficiency of solar vaporization. Currently, biomass materials show very promising prospects for ISSG systems. Here, it is observed that bamboo charcoal (BC) possesses a series of unique advantages that make it a highly efficient ISSG device. The broadband light absorption and the arched and porous structural features of BC fulfil all the basic requirements of an ISSG device in localized heating, heat management, and water supply. The self‐contained arched BC device demonstrates high evaporation efficiency (84% under 1 sun radiation) and superb stability under strongly acidic, strongly alkaline, and intense light environment conditions. More importantly, the porous BC device can provide stable fresh water production that simultaneously promotes the purification of water via evaporation by heating. Finally, the low cost, environmentally sustainable, mechanically robust, and long‐term stable BC device is a potential opportunity for wastewater treatment and desalination in underdeveloped areas. Bamboo charcoal for daily use has been successfully applied to photothermal conversion. Its application is based on excellent optical, thermal, and stable mechanical properties rather than physical adsorption. Arched bamboo charcoal with many pores as a self‐contained solar steam generation can achieve 84% evaporation efficiency at 1 kW m−2. Its water purification capacity is also enhanced via evaporation of local heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]