Metal-phenolic network coated cellulose foams for solar-driven clean water production

Solar-driven water steam generation is a promising strategy for seawater desalination and wastewater purification. However, oil contaminants commonly exist in real water resources, which drives us to design and fabricate photothermal materials with high efficient water steam generation and outstanding anti-oil-fouling ability. Herein, we developed a metal-phenolic network-coated cellulose foam (Fe3+/TA@CF), which exhibits not only superb hydrophilicity and underwater lipophobicity, but also achieves high water evaporation rate of similar to 1.3 kg m(-2) h(-1) even in oil-polluted seawater under one sun illumination. In addition, Fe3+/TA@CF is demonstrated to be both anti-oil-fouling and anti-salt-fouling, which benefits to long-term evaporation in practical utilizations. Metal ions and oil contaminants in the condensed water vapor are almost eliminated after purification. We believe that this low-cost, biodegradable Fe3+/TA@CF paves a way for rationally designing and fabricating high-performance evaporator for oil contaminated water purification.

Automated summary

Solar-driven water steam generation technology shows great potential for seawater desalination and wastewater purification. A metal-phenolic network-coated cellulose foam was developed, demonstrating high water evaporation rate and anti-oil-fouling ability. The foam's superb hydrophilicity and underwater lipophobicity enable efficient water steam generation even in oil-polluted seawater.