Interfacial charge separation in In2S3/N-BC@PVA evaporator for synergistic water disinfection and purification

A novel In 2 S 3 /N-BC@PVA hydrogel evaporator was developed for water purification. • The In 2 S 3 /N-BC heterojunction facilitated interfacial charge redistribution and separation. • Synergistic effect achieves > 99% ARB and > 95% ARG removal. • The evaporator achieves a high evaporation rate (3.93 kg m −2 h −1 ). An In 2 S 3 /N-BC@PVA evaporator is constructed based on the synergistic effect of photothermal catalysis and the regulation mechanism of water molecules, which demonstrates the inactivation rate of ARB (99.77 ± 0.12%), removal rate of ARGs (95–99%), and evaporation rate (3.93 ± 0.16 kg·m −2 ·h −1 ). In 2 S 3 /N-BC reduces the equivalent evaporation enthalpy by activating intermediate water within the hydrogel network. At the In 2 S 3 /N-BC interface, strong interactions induce a metallic-like electronic structure characterized by a high density of states near the Fermi level and a reduced work function, which facilitate spatial charge separation and directed the migration of photogenerated carriers. The -NH 2 is electron-bridging sites to facilitate interfacial charge transfer, which promotes the generation of •OH via hole oxidation. Outdoor testing confirms stable freshwater yield and antibacterial efficacy in 30 d. This work integrates photocatalysis and interfacial evaporation in water remediation strategy, and provides a sustainable approach to address antibiotic resistance and freshwater scarcity. Download: Download high-res image (289KB) Download: Download full-size image