Ang, Edison Huixiang

Freshwater production using solar-driven interfacial evaporation is considered to be a green and sustainable strategy. The biggest barrier to practical deployment of solar desalination, however, continues to be the lack of options for renewable materials. Herein, we present a simple two-step carbonization approach that is sustainable for developing innovative two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum carbide (Mo2C) materials derived from carbonized fruit wastes. The resultant 2D Mo2C photothermal layer has a high water evaporation rate of 1.52 kg m-2 h-1 with a photothermal conversion efficiency of 94 % under one sun irradiation, which is among the best values reported thus far. The broad solar absorption band, high specific surface area (555.1 m2 g-1) with large micro- and meso porosity of the Mo2C photothermal layer are responsible for these outstanding results. The conversion of food wastes into valuable products, in this case MXene, can potentially inspire greener developments of advanced materials for solar water evaporator.