Janus evaporators comprising Cu nanoparticle-decorated carbon nitride/polydimethylsiloxane nanocomposites coated on melamine foam for photothermal water evaporation

This study investigates the photothermal water evaporation efficiency of Janus-structured sponges prepared from Cu nanoparticles-decorated graphitic carbon nitride/polydimethylsiloxane nanocomposites (CuCN/PDMS) and melamine foam (MF). Photothermal performance evaluation under 1 sun irradiation revealed significant temperature enhancement attributed to the incorporation of carbon nitride (CN) and copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs). Furthermore, the synergistic effect of enhanced light absorption and plasmonic localized heat generation led to remarkable improvements in water evaporation flux and efficiency, particularly evident in the CuCN/PDMS@MF evaporator, which exhibited an efficiency of 84.9%. These findings demonstrate the potential of the devised evaporators for practical applications. Additionally, real-world testing with seawater confirmed sustained functionality and resistance to salt accumulation, further emphasizing the importance of PDMS and MF as key components in the design of efficient Janus evaporators for addressing water scarcity challenges. Graphical abstract Janus-structured sponges made from Cu nanoparticles-decorated graphitic carbon nitride/PDMS nanocomposites and melamine foam (CuCN/PDMS@MF) exhibit enhanced light absorption and plasmonic heat generation, significantly improving water evaporation efficiency and offering promising solutions for practical desalination applications