Programmable Interface Asymmetric Integration of Carbon Nanotubes and Gold Nanoparticles toward Flexible, Configurable, and Surface‐Enhanced Raman Scattering Active All‐In‐One Solar‐Driven Evaporators

Abstract

With the rapid development of industrialization and urbanization, water pollution and water shortage are increasingly serious problems. Detecting potential contaminants and further extracting purified water from polluted water is considered to be an effective way for sewage management and recycling. Herein, an all‐in‐one solar‐driven evaporator is developed by alternatively depositing carbon nanotube (CNT) films and gold nanoparticle films on flexible cotton fabric surfaces for both solar‐driven pollution detection and water collection. Based on the facile and robust interfacial self‐assembly strategy, a large‐area CNT film at the air/water interface and closely packed Au nanoparticle (AuNP) film assembled at the liquid/liquid interface are readily achieved, which can be further alternatively transferred onto the cotton fabric surface for solar‐to‐thermal conversion applications. Owing to the favorable flexibility and foldability of the cotton fabric, the CNT film–modified cotton enables the configurable transition from a 2D flat structure to adjusted 3D wave‐like structures for enhanced solar steam generation. Furthermore, when the AuNP film is further deposited onto the surface of the CNT film for polluted water evaporation, the resultant CNT‐loaded Au hybrid can realize effective pollutant detection through surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signals.