A vertical water transfer channel of bamboo-derived high-efficiency evaporator for solar-driven interface water evaporation

Abstract

Bamboo is recognized as an advanced biomaterial for interfacial solar evaporation. Owing to its rapid growth rate and high throughput transport via its unique vascular bundle pore structure, bamboo outperforms wood in solar evaporator applications. An efficient solar evaporator was developed to facilitate directional vertical water transport, a design inspired by the natural transpiration process of bamboo, designated as AB-PDA@Fe. The efficiency of this design was further enhanced in this study by incorporating iron and polydopamine (PDA) photothermal composites with in situ polymeric loads on their surfaces for thermal management. Contact angle measurements revealed optimal AB-PDA@Fe, indicating an effective water management system. UV–vis–NIR spectrophotometry showed over 90 % light absorption by the AB-PDA@Fe solar evaporator, exhibiting efficient thermal management. The resultant evaporator (AB-PDA@Fe) possesses a unique structure that facilitates vertical water transport, minimizes heat loss, and exhibits exceptional light absorption capabilities, enhancing its evaporative performance. Notably, this evaporator demonstrates an evaporation rate of 3.364 kg m⁻² h⁻¹. Furthermore, it exhibits superior decontamination functionality in wastewater treatment, showing potential for harvesting freshwater from contaminated sources for daily human consumption. This study presents an innovative avenue for harnessing bamboo resources and presents new opportunities in using clean energy and biomass materials for seawater desalination.