Ti3C2TX/carbon aerogels derived from winter melon for high-efficiency photothermal conversion

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation is a promising and cost-effective technique for converting light to heat, especially for seawater desalination to address the scarcity of fresh water resources. Biomass-based carbon aerogels have demonstrated significant potential for photothermal conversion due to their low cost, renewability, and environmental friendliness. However, there is still room for improvement in enhancing the photothermal conversion performance of biomass-derived carbon aerogels. In this study, we present Ti3C2TX/carbon aerogels derived from winter melon, which exhibit exceptional photothermal conversion properties for solar steam generation. The Ti3C2TX/carbon aerogels were prepared using a combined process involving hydrothermal treatment, carbonization, and dip-coating, with winter melon as the raw material. The synergistic effect of MXene and carbon aerogels contributes to the satisfactory photothermal conversion performance of the Ti3C2TX/carbon aerogels, including a high evaporation rate (up to 1.48 kg m−2 h−1 under 1 sun irradiation), a high photothermal conversion efficiency (92.3 %), and excellent cycling stability. Moreover, the photothermal properties of the Ti3C2TX/carbon aerogels improve with an increasing mass of Ti3C2TX loading in the aerogel. In addition to solar steam generation, the Ti3C2TX/carbon aerogels also exhibit great potential in applications such as photothermal therapy, deicing, and oil absorption, owing to their exceptional photothermal properties.