Bionic Construction of Magnetic Recyclable Photothermal Materials Inspired by Velvet Ant Cuticle Structure for...

The excessive consumption of fossil fuels, coupled with the severe shortage of freshwater resources, has precipitated grave energy and environmental challenges for society, the urgent need for sustainable solar-driven water evaporation technologies. This study draws inspiration from the microstructure of velvet ant cuticles, employing structural synergy to extend light propagation paths, thereby devising a novel strategy to enhance light absorption capabilities. Herein, a ZIF-67-derived composite supported on functionalized boron nitride nanosheets (f-BNNS) is fabricated to achieve efficient interfacial solar steam generation. Under light irradiation, f-BNNS may interact with ZIF-67 through their conjugated structures, which could facilitate the conversion of π-π^* electronic transitions into thermal energy. In addition, cobalt nanoparticles derived from ZIF-67 are considered to act as localized photothermal centers. Their localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect and possible phonon-phonon coupling may contribute to interfacial heat localization, thereby promoting water evaporation. Benefiting from broadband light absorption, improved thermal management, and efficient photothermal conversion, the composite exhibits an evaporation rate of 1.38 kg·m^-2·h^-1 and an energy efficiency of 95.58% under simulated sunlight. This work presents a sustainable and magnetically recoverable photothermal system integrating MOF-derived photothermal components and thermally conductive scaffolds for high-efficiency solar-driven water evaporation.