Synergistic enhancement of solar interface evaporation by oxidation engineering of photothermal materials, hybridization of water channels and energy supplement of waterwheel

State-of-the-art solar-driven evaporation systems plays an important role in generating clean freshwater with near zero energy consumption. There still remains pressing needs for innovative system design to enhance evaporation rates. Herein, synergistic enhancement of solar interface evaporation by oxidation engineering of photothermal materials, hybridization of water channels and energy supplement of waterwheel is proposed. Oxidation engineering is used to prepare a conjugated oxidized polybenzene, exhibiting high solar absorption capabilities of 87.5 %. Chitosan hydrogel is combined with poly (methacrylic acid) to acquire a self-supporting water transport structure. The obtained bilayer evaporator achieves an evaporation rate of 2.07 kg·m −2 ·h −1 and an energy efficiency of 93.0 %. Building upon these materials, a waterwheel system that utilizes the kinetic and potential energy of water is constructed. This system increases the evaporation rate to 4.13 kg·m −2 ·h −1 with minimal water flow. This system demonstrates the potential for efficient and sustainable clean water production, underscoring its significance in addressing water scarcity challenges.