Solar-driven interfacial water evaporation for wastewater purification: Recent advances and challenges

Solar-driven interfacial water evaporation has received considerable attention as a potential solution for wastewater treatment applications. Despite previous studies confirming significant performance improvements through rational solar evaporator design, challenges remain in achieving comprehensive condensed water purification and addressing high pollutant concentrations in source water. In this review, we evaluate the optimization strategies for solar absorption, thermal management, and water-existing forms to achieve high-efficiency water evaporation. In addition, we provide a brief overview of photothermal materials that are based on a variety of different photothermal conversion mechanisms. Based on previous research, our focus is on exploring purification strategies using interfacial water evaporation technology to address common water pollutants, including volatile organic compounds, dyes, metal ions, and more. Lastly, we discuss the challenges of practical implementation of interfacial water evaporation technology in the field of wastewater treatment, followed by our views and future perspectives.