MXene-CuS pyramid array photothermal structures inspired by Roman broccoli for solar-driven water evaporation and power generation

Solar-powered steam generation and thermoelectric generation, as sustainable green technologies, have emerged as effective strategies to tackle the worldwide issues of water and energy scarcity. However, existing photothermal interfacial evaporation materials generally suffer from low evaporation efficiency and poor energy utilization, significantly limiting its practical applications. Therefore, developing high-performance three-dimensional (3D) solar-driven interfacial evaporation materials is crucial for advancing the construction of photothermal-thermoelectric evaporation systems. Herein, inspired by the multiscale array structure of Roman broccoli, an MXene-CuS@CF interfacial evaporator based on a multiscale pyramid photothermal structure was designed and fabricated by mimicking the optical enhancement and pore transport mechanisms observed in Roman broccoli photosynthesis. Under 1 kW m −2 illumination, the evaporator achieved an evaporation rate of 3.25 kg m −2  h −1 , five times higher than pure water. The maximum output power density reached 1.52 W m −2 . After 50 evaporation cycles in simulated seawater, MXene-CuS@CF demonstrated good evaporation stability. Under outdoor sunny conditions with 8 h of natural sunlight exposure, the freshwater output reached 9.1 kg m −2 . The bionic MXene-CuS@CF interfacial evaporator significantly enhances evaporation performance and energy utilization through its multiscale structural design and efficient photothermal synergy. This research provides a novel ideas for constructing efficient and stable photothermal-thermoelectric hybrid systems in the future.