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Environmental pollution and clean water production are challenges to the development of human society. In this paper, devices consisting of a superhydrophobic Ni-CoFe2O4 foam layer (floating layer), a hydrophilic channel and a superhydrophilic Ni-CoFe2O4 foam layer (photothermal conversion layer) were designed. The light energy was converted into heat on the photothermal layer, for which the hydrophilic channel provided a small amount of water. The superhydrophobic layer ensured the floating and selective adsorption of organic solvents on the water surface, whose contact angle reached 157°, and the steam production rate reached 1.68 kg·m−2·h−1. Finally, the LSV curve demonstrated that the Ni-CoFe2O4 foam prepared had a minimum starting potential, achieving the multifunctionality of the Ni foam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water evaporation rate of 3D solar evaporator heavily relies on the water transport height of the evaporator. In this work, a 3D solar evaporator featuring a soil capillary‐like structure is designed by surface coating native balsa wood using potassium hydroxide activated carbon (KAC). This KAC‐coated wood evaporator can transport water up to 32 cm, surpassing that of native wood by ≈8 times. Moreover, under 1 kW m−2 solar radiation without wind, the KAC‐coated wood evaporator exhibits a remarkable water evaporation rate of 25.3 kg m−2 h−1, ranking among the highest compared with other reported evaporators. The exceptional water transport capabilities of the KAC‐coated wood should be attributed to the black and hydrophilic KAC film, which creates a porous network resembling a soil capillary structure to facilitate efficient water transport. In the porous network of coated KAC film, the small internal pores play a pivotal role in achieving rapid capillary condensation, while the larger interstitial channels store condensed water, further promoting water transport up more and micropore capillary condensation. Moreover, this innovative design demonstrates efficacy in retarding phenol from wastewater through absorption onto the coated KAC film, thus presenting a new avenue for high‐efficiency clean water production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textile dye is one of the significant pollutants of water worldwide. However, dumping the textile effluent to the environment is a common in most of the developing countries. Contaminated water in the textile industry may contain various toxic ingredients and people were easily infected with various diseases. The contamination may affect the marine environment and consequently extends around the world. The recycling of waste water is the significant option to reduce the environmental pollution. In particular, adsorption approach is one of the significant strategies to treat dye-contaminated water due to their advantageous of physico-chemical properties. In this review paper, variety of potential adsorbents for dye removal were critically reviewed, focusing on the efficient adsorbent to remediate dye-contaminated water. Specifically, the recent development of adsorbents containing carbon, metal supported adsorbents, surface functionalized gel adsorbents and photo-adsorbents were reviewed focusing on cutting-edge processes. Comparison of degradation efficiency for different adsorbents, synthesis approaches and their physico-chemical properties were assessed in systematic way. The perspective of the adsorbent materials associated with the dye degradation was discussed thoroughly. The evaluation of different advanced materials would contribute to the development of the sustainable dye removal process in near future. [Display omitted] • The application of advanced novel materials for dye removal was critically evaluated. • The promising dye removal technologies with their adsorption efficiency were measured. • The specific mechanism of different nano-materials were assessed in systematic way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, seawater desalination based on air-water interface solar heating has triggered significant research interests because it effectively makes use of the solar energy and avoids fossil fuel consumption. However, to prevent the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from volatilizing with water vapor which later will liquefy and enter the condensed freshwater is still a challenge. In this work, a g-C 3 N 4 /MoS 2 based floating solar still (CM-FSS) combined with thermal/light activation of persulfate (PS) at air-water interface was applied for clean freshwater production for the first time. The CM-FSS was composed of a g-C 3 N 4 /MoS 2 top layer for solar absorption, simultaneous thermal/light activation of PS and then VOCs degradation at air-water interface, a floating layer of expandable polyethylene (EPE) foam for heat isolation, and a transport channel of air-laid paper (ALP) for seawater and PS solution delivery. The water evaporation rate of the CM-FSS was measured at 1.23 kg m−2 h−1 under 1 kW m−2, which is 4.09 times higher than that of pure water without an evaporator. With the assistance of g-C 3 N 4 /MoS 2 photocatalytic degradation and thermal/light activation of PS at the air-water interface, a high removal efficiency of a selected model VOCs pollutant of nitrobenzene (NB) could reach to 98.2% in condensed freshwater. Finally, when real seawater samples were employed as source water for solar distillation, the typical water-quality indices such as salinity, turbidity, anions, cations and organics of the condensed freshwater were below the limit values of the Standards for Drinking Water Quality in WHO, US EPA and China. A g-C 3 N 4 /MoS 2 based floating solar still combined with heat/light activated persulfate for continuous clean water production based on air-water interface solar heating. [Display omitted] • A g-C 3 N 4 /MoS 2 based floating solar still (CM-FSS) was fabricated. • The CM-FSS was applied for water evaporation based on interfacial solar heating. • VOCs were reduced by g-C 3 N 4 /MoS 2 photocatalysis and thermal/light activation of PS. • The quality of condensed freshwater below the limit values of WHO, EPA and China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental pollution and clean water production are challenges to the development of human society. In this paper, devices consisting of a superhydrophobic Ni-CoFe2O4 foam layer (floating layer), a hydrophilic channel and a superhydrophilic Ni-CoFe2O4 foam layer (photothermal conversion layer) were designed. The light energy was converted into heat on the photothermal layer, for which the hydrophilic channel provided a small amount of water. The superhydrophobic layer ensured the floating and selective adsorption of organic solvents on the water surface, whose contact angle reached 157°, and the steam production rate reached 1.68 kg·m−2·h−1. Finally, the LSV curve demonstrated that the Ni-CoFe2O4 foam prepared had a minimum starting potential, achieving the multifunctionality of the Ni foam.