Hierarchical Ti₃C₂T_x MXene@Honeycomb nanocomposite with high energy efficiency for solar water desalination

The utilization of solar-driven interfacial evaporation holds immense promise in enhancing energy efficiency and establishing sustainable methods for seawater desalination and water purification. While designing the materials to achieve high evaporation efficiency, the tuning of materials with porosity and surface chemistry is very crucial. Novel sustainable materials are of great importance for solar water desalination applications since clean water production is utmost important in the current era. There exists a lack of exploration in modifying the surface wettability states of solar evaporators to expedite the vapor generation rates. In this study, we showcase a hydrophilic Ti₃C₂T_x MXene-coated carbonized honeycomb (CHC) (Ti₃C₂T_x MXene@CHC) nanocomposite-based hexagonal-shaped evaporator surface. This is the first-time report on the effective utilization of hierarchical CHC for the preparation of solar absorber comprising of Ti₃C₂T_x MXene@CHC nanocomposite, particularly for the solar water desalination. The Ti₃C₂T_x MXene@CHC nanocomposite evaporator achieves an impressive water evaporation rate of 1.6 kg m^-2 h^-1 with 90% efficiency under 1 sun illumination. The augmented thickness of the water layer in the hydrophilic surface of the Ti₃C₂T_x MXene@CHC nanocomposite helps in facilitating the rapid escape of water molecules. The relatively elongated contact lines in the hydrophobic region simultaneously ensure substantial water evaporation, significantly enhancing the water desalination process. The Ti₃C₂T_x MXene@CHC nanocomposite exceeds stringent quality benchmarks, signaling its potential for solar water desalination.