Synergistic effect of Fe3O4 nanoparticles and Au nanolayer in enhancement of interfacial solar steam generation.

• 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]