Synergistic photothermal conversion on Mn3CeOx/Coal-based carbon material membrane for simultaneous interface evaporation and organic pollutant removal

Solar-powered interfacial water evaporation represents a promising approach for freshwater generation from seawater and wastewater. However, the challenges such as limited light absorption, excessive heat loss, and salt precipitation hinder its practical application. Furthermore, the treatment of high-salt wastewater with organic pollutants faces issues like release of volatile organic matters. In this study, we developed an asymmetric edge-structured photothermal composite membrane using Mn3CeOx/coal-based carbon material (CCM) for high-salt organic wastewater treatment. Specifically, the excellent light absorption ability of CCM provides a foundation for solar interface evaporation. Due to the superior photothermal conversion based on the synergistic effect between the thermal vibration of CCM molecules and the non-radiative relaxation of Mn3CeOx, the evaporation rate of the evaporator based on Mn3CeOx/CCM could reach up to 1.92 kg m(-2)h(-1). Meanwhile, the asymmetric edge structure effectively solves the salt deposition problem, ensuring the stable operation of the evaporator. Notably, the thermal energy from photothermal conversion promotes lattice oxygen activation of Mn3CeOx for pollutant removal. Moreover, the good pore structure and abundant active sites of Mn3CeOx/CCM also contributes to the effective removal of organic pollutant. In summary, the photothermal composite membrane evaporator based on Mn3CeOx/CCM holds substantial promise for solar-driven high-salt organic wastewater treatment.