Photocatalysis assisted solar-driven interfacial water evaporation: principles, advances and trends

The complexity and severity of water pollution caused by population growth and climate change is a major global challenge. Solar-driven interfacial water evaporation (SDIE) technology combined with photocatalysis offers a green, sustainable, and efficient way to produce clean water. This review comprehensively investigates the recent research progress on photocatalysis-assisted SDIE, focusing on photocatalytic and photothermal mechanisms and their synergistic effects. Various photocatalysts, including metal oxides (MOs), metal sulfides or other metal-based photocatalysts (MS or MX2), metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), covalenorganic frameworks (COFs), graphite carbon nitride (g-C3N4), and Transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes) are discussed in detail, emphasizing their structural characteristics, working principles, and performance advantages when integrated into evaporators. Additionally, the practical applications of these technologies in fields such as wastewater treatment and green energy development are explored, highlighting their potential for environmental protection and energy development. Specifically, we examine photocatalytic water evaporators as Janus structures, aerogels, hydrogels, and foam structures, and discuss their unique advantages and challenges. Furthermore, the potential of using photocatalysis for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generation, decomposition, and ammonia (NH3) conversion in the SDIE process is explored, highlighting the versatility and potential of this technology. Continued research and advancement of photocatalysis-assisted SDIE technology will demonstrate enormous potential in environmental protection and energy development. In the future, we look forward to overcoming existing technological challenges through multidisciplinary collaboration to enable solar photocatalytic interfacial water evaporation technology to play a greater role in addressing the global water crisis.