Hierarchical MXene Hydrogel Evaporators with Self-Regulating Water-Thermal Management for High-Efficiency Removal of...

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation is promising for seawater desalination and wastewater purification. However, its practical application remains limited by several challenges, including low effectiveness in microplastic removal, insufficient stability under extreme environmental conditions, and lack of well-integrated multifunctional optimization. In this work, a multifunctional, self-floating interfacial solar evaporator is designed by incorporating MXene (Ti₃C₂T_x) with excellent photothermal conversion efficiency and silver nanowires (AgNWs), offering synergistic photothermal and antimicrobial properties. The rational structural design, combined with exceptional water transfer capability, enables unprecedented evaporation performance. The PAMA-MA evaporator achieves a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 95.73% and an impressive evaporation rate of 4.06 kg m^-2 h^-1 under one-sun irradiation. Beyond freshwater production, it demonstrates versatile purification capabilities, achieving up to 99% microplastic removal, excellent heavy metal retention, and outstanding antibacterial properties. A one-week ultraviolet ageing test further confirms the long-term durability of the evaporator for desalination applications. Notably, the device maintains its high photothermal conversion efficiency even after exposure to extremely low temperatures (-30 °C for 48 hours), confirming its robust operational stability under harsh environmental conditions. This study offers an efficient and sustainable solution for interfacial solar evaporation, opening new avenues for advancements in seawater desalination and water purification technologies.