A wall-like solar-driven interfacial evaporator fabricated via out-inner anisotropic structure of fresh loofah

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Solar-driven interfacial steam generation (SISG) offers significant potential for water treatment , particularly in desalination . Currently, there is increasing interest in designing highly efficient, recyclable, and environmentally sustainable evaporators . In this study, fresh loofah, a natural green plant with an anisotropic structure in its outer skin and inner flesh, was carbonized to fabricate an all-in-one evaporator. Through freeze-drying and high-temperature carbonization , the outer loofah skin formed a wall-like structure that helps maintain shape and structure integrity, protecting the inner layer. The contracted inner loofah layer exhibited a porous structure , promoting directional water transport and efficient evaporation. Specifically, the carbonized loofah achieved an evaporation rate of 1.732 kg m −2 h −1 under 1 sun irradiation for deionized water and 1.658 kg m −2 h −1 for a salt solution. Additionally, the carbonized loofah demonstrated good salt tolerance, reusability , excellent metal ion and organic pollutant removal, and practical applicability. These features highlight a novel design that leverages the natural wall-like structure of a carbonized loofah to enhance stability, making it an efficient all-in-one solar-driven interfacial evaporator.