Enhancing thermal localization efficiency in a wood-based solar steam generator with inverted-pyramid structure

Using solar energy for freshwater generation presents an effective and economical solution to address water shortages. Here, we introduced a structural strategy involving the incorporation of fixed-shape inverted pyramid-shaped grooves onto the evaporator surface. This innovation approach integrated delignified wood and MXene-based photothermal material to establish an interfacial solar steam generator (ISSG) dedicated to freshwater production. The carefully designed surface structure empowered the ISSG with remarkable heat localization capabilities, resulting in an exceptional steam generation capacity and resistance against salt deposition. The as-prepared sample, labeled MIDW-5, achieved an impressive evaporation rate of 1.927 kg m−2 h−1. Furthermore, the simulation results by COMSOL are in agreement with the experimental results. Therefore, the incorporation of MXene into delignified wood, complemented by the imprinted structure, yields a high-performance evaporator with substantial potential for low-cost freshwater production.