Nickel clusters synergized with 1T-MoS2 for enhanced photothermal conversion enabling efficient seawater desalination and wastewater purification

The integration of nickel clusters (Ni NCs) with metallic 1T-phase molybdenum disulfide (1T-MoS 2 ) offers a promising approach for the development of efficient solar-driven evaporation systems. This study reveals that the synergistic effects between Ni NCs and 1T-MoS 2 arising from enhanced charge transfer and pronounced localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) lead to markedly improved broadband light absorption and photothermal conversion efficiency. As a result, the fabricated Ni NCs/1T-MoS 2 -based aerogel evaporator achieves a high water evaporation rate of 2.70 kg m −2 h −1 under one-sun illumination, which is competitive with current state-of-the-art evaporators. Moreover, the evaporator exhibits excellent operational stability in continuous seawater desalination tests and demonstrates strong potential for purifying organic wastewater contaminants such as tetracycline (TC) and methyl orange (MO). When deployed under natural sunlight, the device attains an exceptional evaporation rate of 4.57 kg m −2 h −1 for real seawater samples. These results underscore the promise of Ni NCs/1T-MoS 2 composites as a highly efficient, durable, and multifunctional photothermal platform suited for sustainable desalination and wastewater treatment applications. • Synergistic integration of Ni nanoclusters with 1T-MoS₂ significantly enhances absorption and photothermal conversion. • The evaporator achieves a high evaporation rate of 2.70 kg m⁻²h⁻¹ under 1 sun. • The evaporator exhibits excellent durability in seawater desalination and effective purification of organic wastewater. • The evaporator can efficiently purify across diverse water sources while meeting WHO drinking water standards. • The evaporator also exhibits a high evaporation rate of 4.57 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ under natural sunlight.