Nature-inspired ultrathin wood-based interfacial solar steam generators for high-efficiency water purification

Abstract

Here, inspired from butterfly wing, novel hierarchical biomimetic structures composed of tunable nano-structured surfaces, rich micro/nanopores and aligned grooves from polythiophene decorated fir wood veneer have been developed to solve it. Nanowire-shaped and button-like nanostructured polythiophenes as light absorption enhanced materials were in situ grown on wood surface by adjustable vapor deposition process (PFW and CPFW). Meanwhile, wood veneer with reversed-tree structure has a unique aligned grooves surface from split tracheids, serving as the substrate for the nanostructured polythiophenes. These ultrathin wood-based solar steam generators (0.6 mm) stand as one of the thinnest reported self-floating photothermal materials based on wood. Meanwhile, high evaporation flux (1.42 and 1.48 kg·m−2·h−1) and solar-to-vapor efficiencies (88.5 % and 92.4 %) for PFW and CPFW are acquired under 1 sun irradiation. Their structure superiority boosting photothermal conversion performance has been further verified by COMSOL simulated results. The synthesized solar steam generator exhibits exceptional capabilities in seawater desalination and wastewater treatment, demonstrating fantastic application potential in water purification.